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Plastics researcher

AI tool enables recycled plastic tracking for regulatory compliance

Researchers at the University at Buffalo (UB), US, have developed a new method to differentiate recycled from virgin plastic in packaging formats such as bottles, shopping bags, and yogurt cups.The method combines scientific testing and AI to help companies, regulatory agencies, and organizations monitor plastic recycling.“Our goal is to create a quick and reliable tool that can be used to verify recycled material content, as well as enforce recycling regulations,” says corresponding author Amit Goyal, professor at the UB Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering.
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Dairy packagers embrace plastic reduction and smart labels for traceability
Material innovation and durable labeling are transforming dairy packaging. As sustainability regulations tighten, packagers are turning to recycled content and fiber-based solutions, while high-speed filling lines require labels that ensure security and clear traceability. Packaging Insights speaks to Amcor, Elopak, Leibinger, and SIG about their latest dairy packaging solutions, exploring various industry approaches to tackling plastic reduction and the emerging demand for active packaging options. 
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Nuon Medical explores beauty packaging shift to performance-driven tech
Beauty packaging is no longer a passive vehicle for product delivery, according to Alain Dijkstra, CEO at Nuon Medical. Dijkstra identifies beauty packaging as an extension of the brand’s promise, a driver of performance, and a touchpoint in the consumer relationship.Nuon Medical’s advanced cosmetic packaging solutions have combined technologies including phototherapy, microcurrents, and skin measurement sensors to improve product performance.
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Dairy packaging innovation
Dairy packaging launches are increasing at a 17% compound annual growth rate from 2021 to 2025, according to data provided by Innova Market Insights. Environmental sustainability remains a major trend, with consumers globally opting for biodegradable packaging for dairy products. Recyclable was the leading sustainable packaging claim, while reusable saw the fastest growth in launches.
Aicomp Summit 2026 Aicomp video thumbnail: Presenter gesturing beside a screen displaying a 3D cargo load diagram, with an inset headshot of a man wearing glasses in the upper left
Aicomp Summit 2026: Aicomp spotlights product configuration solutions 

Nacho Balbontín, global head of sales at Aicomp, told us about the company’s product configuration solutions — VCPowerPack, which enables packaging personalization, and Cubicus, designed for companies seeking enterprise resource planning system integration.

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Packaging Innovations 2026 review: Data, design & regulations drive circularity
Packaging Innovations 2026 in Birmingham, UK, welcomed 450 exhibitors showcasing circular packaging design. As the industry adapts to the UK’s packaging EPR and DRS launch, suppliers presented solutions catering to these regulatory shifts. Highlights included recycle-ready monomaterial solutions, compostable packaging and labels, and AI-assisted recyclability data analytics.

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Borealis and FSG Returnables introduce reusable cup system at UK hospitals
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Borealis and FSG Returnables have launched a reusable cup and container system at the Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) in the UK. The system features Borealis’s Zero Waste Cups made from PP in its Daploy high-melt-strength portfolio using Bockatech’s EcoCore technology. According to Borealis, the cups remain reliable after over 1,000 industrial washes and stay stable under heat, detergents, and frequent use. 
Coverpla unveils Mystère Bottle for Egoscentrique fragrance collection
A white bottle with a red label placed next to a red box
French packaging solution provider Coverpla has created the Mystère bottle for Italian brand Egoscentrique’s fragrance collection, representing the brand’s “luxurious spirit of eccentricity.”The Mystère bottle features a rounded shape and a 50 mL size. It was crafted as an extension of Egoscentrique’s original cap. 
Middle East conflict causes plastic bag shortages in South Korea
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The ongoing Iran war and broader geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have triggered a shortage of naphtha feedstock in South Korea, impacting the stability of the nation’s plastic packaging industry. Naphtha, a raw material of petrochemical plants, is crucial for crude oil distillation. It is used to produce first-generation plastic products like ethylene and propylene, which can then be polymerized to create synthetic resin materials. 
Industry groups sue California over “arbitrary” packaging label ban
woman with recycling logo bag
A coalition of packaging manufacturers, dairy producers, and farmers is suing California, US, over its Truth in Recycling (SB 343) law, alleging that it undermines recycling and violates the First Amendment of guaranteed free speech. SB 343, enacted in 2021, prohibits the use of the chasing arrows on packaging unless it meets four recyclability criteria set out by the state, which include consumer access, sortation, packaging design, and chemical safety. 
PackUK names industry-led packaging PRO to oversee pEPR
packaging warehouse
PackUK has chosen UK Packaging PRO as the Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO) for the UK’s packaging EPR (pEPR) scheme. UK Packaging PRO is a producer-led organization representing more than 100 of the country’s largest brands, retailers, and trade bodies, supported by the Food and Drink Federation and the Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment.
Chocolate alternative innovation accelerates as food innovators tackle cocoa...
Chef grating chocolate shavings onto chocolate-based desserts.

Food Ingredients First

Italian foodtech company Foreverland has secured another €6 million (US$7 million) in funding to boost its organic cocoa-free alternative, which helps confectionery manufacturers reduce exposure to cocoa price volatility and supply disruption, and future-proof ingredients.
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Regulatory News
Hong Kong tobacco packaging plan raises counterfeit concerns
The government of the Hong Kong SAR plans to introduce standardized tobacco packaging alongside a duty stamp system. However, the proposal has drawn concern from independent vendors. The Health Bureau has announced that the government tentatively plans to implement the uniform packaging design for conventional smoking products and the duty stamp system simultaneously in the second quarter of 2027.
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Packaging & Technology News
Investigation underway as Norway misses recycling targets,...
The European Free Trade Association Surveillance Authority (ESA) has issued a letter of formal notice to Norway for failing to meet its key waste collection and recycling targets, highlighting faults in the country’s collection and separation system. In the letter, the ESA notes that while 50% of municipal waste should have been prepared for reuse and recycling by 2020, it only reached 41.7% in 2023. Moreover, the country needed to recycle 50% of plastic packaging by 2025, but in 2024 the figure was 34%. 
Innova Top Packaging Trends 2026.
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Top Packaging Trends 2026: Navigating sustainability,...
Innova Market Insights has announced its Top Packaging Trends 2026, with “Substantiated Sustainability” taking top spot. This trend emphasizes the need for verified environmental claims, driven by stricter regulations, such as the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). Global consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable packaging but are wary of greenwashing, meaning brands must back sustainability claims with scientific evidence. The second trend, “Digital-Enhanced Designs,” highlights the growing role of digital technologies like AI, augmented reality, and QR codes in packaging. These innovations improve consumer engagement and product traceability, while digital product passports offer detailed lifecycle data.

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Beauty and care packagingMar2026

Innova Market Insights’ data shows a 3% compound annual growth rate in beauty and personal care packaging launches from 2024 to 2025. More than 20% of launches were packaged in folded cartons, while 7...

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Breakthrough barrier coatings Mar 2026

Freshness is a key factor consumers use to assess F&B packaging quality, according to Innova Market Insights. Barrier coatings on packaging help preserve freshness and flavor by protecting products from bacteria and external contaminants. New product launches indicate that brands are increasingly emphasizing this packaging benefit in their communications.

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Dairy packaging innovationMar 2026

Dairy packaging launches are increasing at a 17% compound annual growth rate from 2021 to 2025, according to data provided by Innova Market Insights. Environmental sustainability remains a major trend, with consumers globally opting for biodegradable packaging for dairy products. Recyclable was the leading sustainable packaging claim, while reusable saw the fastest growth in launches.

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Aicomp Summit 2026 Aicomp video thumbnail: Presenter gesturing beside a screen displaying a 3D cargo load diagram, with an inset headshot of a man wearing glasses in the upper left
Video07:04
Aicomp Summit 2026: Aicomp spotlights product configuration solutions 

Nacho Balbontín, global head of sales at Aicomp, told us about the company’s product configuration solutions — VCPowerPack, which enables packaging personalization, and Cubicus, designed for companies seeking enterprise resource planning system integration.

Jürgen Löw, T.CON
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Aicomp Summit 2026: T.CON talks digital manufacturing for corrugated packaging
Mark Dop, Kivo Flexible Plastics
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Aicomp Summit 2026: Kivo Flexible Plastics talks digitalization in manufacturing
Aicomp Summit 2026 OMP video thumbnail: Male speaker in suit highlighted in circular frame overlay, with audience raising hands during a conference or seminar in the background.
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Aicomp Summit 2026 live: OMP talks packaging software for compliance & cost efficiency
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