September in review: European trade shows, Nestlé greenwashing lawsuit & plastic waste initiatives

Last month, Drinktec, Labelexpo, and FachPack took place in Europe. We look back at the biggest industry highlights from these major trade shows. 

Meanwhile, ClientEarth accused Nestlé Poland of greenwashing over “misleading” slogans on its Polish bottled water brand Nałęczowianka. 

Australia, South Africa, and Poland launched initiatives to reduce packaging waste pollution. 

We look back at the biggest stories in September. 

AI-powered color detection in packaging offers real-time tracking and waste reduction
AI-detected color changes in food packaging can help detect product freshness based on subtle changes to real-time temperature, humidity, or other environmental factors, finds a new study. We spoke to study author Jari Isohanni about how AI-enabled color detection can help move food packaging from “static” solutions to interactive indicators of product freshness and safety.

South Australia bans soy sauce fish containers, environmentalists demand wider plastic bans
The South Australian government banned fish-shaped soy containers in the state’s latest round of single-use plastic bans to reduce marine and terrestrial pollution. Cip Hamilton, plastic campaign manager at the Australian Marine Conservation Society, told Packaging Insights that while the ban is important, Australian governments should take the next step by regulating plastic production and consumption more widely.Mondi showcased products balancing high-barrier performance and recyclability at FachPack 2025.

Drinktec 2025 preview: Industry to present next-gen beverage packaging, closure solutions and circularity
One of the world’s leading trade shows for the beverage and liquid food industry, Drinktec, took place in Munich, Germany, this month. The industry showcased next-generation packaging and closure technologies. Highlights also included lightweight PET and glass designs, monomaterial sport caps, and advanced recycling-compatible labels and sleeves.

Labelexpo Europe 2025: Industry experts highlight digitalization, sustainability and regulation as key trends
Labelexpo Europe 2025 took place in Barcelona, Spain, this month. We spoke to five labeling and printing companies ahead of the trade show about key labeling innovations, sustainability strategies, and regulatory challenges shaping the industry. The representatives of Flint Group, Fujifilm, Herma, Hubergroup Print Solutions, and UPM Adhesive Materials told Packaging Insights about their solutions for recyclability, LED curing, digital printing, and resource efficiency.

Global regulations overlook healthcare plastic packaging waste, says report
A new report warned that the single-use plastics in the healthcare sector, which have often been exempted from broader policies, are driving up costs, waste, and GHG emissions. The report identifies the environmental and financial impact of plastics in high-volume product categories, such as fluid bags and tubing, rigid device packaging, and pharmaceutical packaging. We sat down with Yoni Shiran, partner and plastics lead at Systemiq, to discuss why healthcare applications often remain exempt from packaging regulations.

Tray circularity: Tomra Recycling talks cross-industry dipping challenges
The recycled content in PET-based food trays typically comes from beverage bottles, diverting feedstock away from a closed-loop bottle recycling system, according to Tomra Recycling. But the company says that today, R&D has made tray-to-tray recycling a technologically and economically feasible option. We spoke to Valerio Sama, the business development manager for packaging at Tomra Recycling, about the challenges of tray-to-tray recycling and emerging solutions.Crown discussed European legislation and shifting can trends at Drinktec 2025.

Inside India’s PET recycling: APR Bharat director general maps policy, capacity and export ambitions
Legislation has successfully boosted India’s PET recycling industry, accelerating food-grade usage and recyclate exports. We discuss these developments with India’s Association of PET Recyclers Bharat (APR Bharat), a coalition of PET recyclers, manufacturers, and other stakeholders. Packaging Insights spoke to Goutham Jain, the director general at APR Bharat, about the coalition’s role in the country’s recycling efforts, the local regulatory environment, and the benefits and future outlook of India’s rPET recycling sectors.

Drinktec 2025 live: Smurfit Westrock unveils cost-effective automation and beverage packaging
At Drinktec we interviewed Ian Lloyd, senior marketing director for consumer packaging Europe at Smurfit Westrock, about the company’s latest automation and beverage packaging innovations. The packaging company presented its cobot loading machine that aims to streamline manufacturing operations at a low cost.

South Africa tackles plastic waste with new F&B pack initiative
The Plastic Reboot Project launched in Pretoria, South Africa, to tackle waste packaging pollution in the F&B sector. The project focuses on improving the plastic packaging lifecycle through interventions at different stages. Alix Grabowski, senior director for plastic and material science at WWF, told us more about South Africa’s investment strategy and how gaps can be addressed efficiently. Bormioli Luigi highlighted glass as standard in luxury packaging.

Nestlé Poland faces greenwashing lawsuit over “misleading” recycling claims on bottled water
ClientEarth accused Nestlé Poland of greenwashing over “misleading” slogans on its Polish bottled water brand Nałęczowianka. Nestlé Poland opposes the allegation, telling Packaging Insights that it will “vigorously defend” its position in court. The phrases on the bottled water include: “I am recyclable,” “I am made from another bottle,” and “I am 100% made of recycled PET plastic* (*not applicable to the cap and the label).” According to ClientEarth, these phrases create a “false impression” about the environmental benefits of single-use plastic.

FachPack 2025 live: ProAmpac spotlights recyclable pouches and fiber-based solutions
ProAmpac showcased its portfolio of flexible packaging products at FachPack 2025 in Nuremberg, Germany, this month. On the show floor, the company discussed its recycle-ready pouches for pet nutrition and fiber-based solutions with broad applications in personal care, fresh produce, and food to-go. ProAmpac presented its ProActive Recyclable RT-4000 retort pouches for high performance and filling line efficiency.

Poland introduces beverage container DRS to spur national circularity
Poland’s nationwide DRS comes into effect on October 1. We spoke to the Polish Ministry of Climate and Environment about how the new system is expected to boost recycling and reuse in the country.