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Two Consignaction users

Quebec’s modernized DRS expands as beverage container recovery climbs

The Quebec Beverage Container Recycling Association (QBCRA), the government-designated deposit-return system (DRS) management body, highlights its efforts to modernize and expand the Canadian province’s deposit-refund network, which it says is witnessing “steady growth.” The association indicates that public support for the DRS is contributing to the advancement of Quebec’s circular economy, with Consignaction, the official DRS brand in the Canadian province, speeding up its efforts to roll out the network and make the service more accessible. Jean-François Lefort, VP of Strategy at QBCRA, tells Packaging Insights: “The government has mandated us to achieve a 90% recovery rate by 2032 for the approximately 5 billion redeemable beverage containers marketed annually in Quebec.”
An old person opening a cap
Cap and closure innovations target lower carbon footprints, accessibility and safety
Packaging companies are innovating on cap and closure solutions to lower carbon footprints through eco-friendly materials while improving consumer accessibility and product safety. Packaging Insights speaks to SIG, Blue Ocean Closures, and SnapSlide on how their proprietary closure architectures are displacing conventional twist-off plastics across pharmaceutical, F&B, and household markets.
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Avery Dennison: Smart labels becoming “media channels” to consumers
Smart technologies like QR codes and radio frequency identification (RFID) are transforming labels from passive features on packaging to points of contact with consumers, but only if brands commit to a long-term digital content strategy, says Noam Assael, CPG business ventures director, Material Group, EMENA, at Avery Dennison. Packaging Insights sits down with Assael to discuss how upcoming consumer interactions, regulations, and data collection are converging to demand more from labels. Increasingly, labels are part of a consumer’s experience with a product, while also enhancing traceability and validation of product credentials. 
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Trends in snack pack launches
Innova Market Insights data indicates that snack launches grew at a +8% CAGR from July 2021 to June 2026. Flat pouches accounted for 50% of these launches, aligning with consumer preferences for purchasing salty snacks in pouches. Cup packaging formats showed the fastest growth, while plastic was the dominant packaging material.
Avebe technical paper on PFAS-free oil and grease barriers for fibre-based food packaging
Out with PFAS On with performance. How do you develop an oil and grease barrier that works beyond the laboratory?
Removing PFAS changes more than the coating chemistry. This technical paper sets out five principles for designing fibre-based barriers, from choosing the right base paper and forming a continuous film to testing performance under production and end-use conditions. Explore the principles alongside examples from Avebe’s development work.This technical paper is brought to you by Royal Avebe.
Portrait of a woman in a circular frame beside a pile of colorful discarded plastic bottles for recycling.
Industrial Physics underscores pack testing as rPET and lightweighting reshape performance

Natalia Ciesla, strategic segment manager at Industrial Physics, talks to us about how recycled PET (rPET) content and lightweighting are impacting bottle performance requirements. She discusses how testing can validate changes at production scale, and how quality assurance may evolve alongside sustainability targets.

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Incentives drive consumers toward reusable foodservice packaging, study finds
cafeteria chef with porcelain plates
A recent study has found that positive, incentive-based interventions are associated with a rise in food purchases in reusable packaging, initially observed in a university cafeteria setting. Researchers from Matej Bel University, Slovakia, compared salad purchases before and during a loyalty-style reward that offered consumers every fifth salad free when they used reusable cafeteria dishware or brought in their own reusable container instead of using disposable packaging. 
Arburg targets Indonesia packaging growth with screw cap machines
Allrounder Trend machine
Arburg will display its new Allrounder Trend electric standard machines for high-density PE  (HDPE) screw caps at the Allpack 2026 trade fair in Jakarta, Indonesia (October 20–23). “Packaging is the biggest industry in the plastics market of Indonesia and also a focus industry of Arburg,” Ruben Sander, director of operations for ASEAN at Arburg, tells Packaging Insights. 
TotalEnergies takes full ownership of TEPEAR chemical recycling facility
recycling line
Plastic Energy has transferred its stake in TotalEnergies Plastic Energy Advanced Recycling (TEPEAR) facility in Grandpuits, France, to TotalEnergies. The divestment is part of the chemical recycling technology provider’s core operations restructuring strategy, following founder Carlos Monreal’s return as CEO. The facility will continue to operate at industrial scale under full TotalEnergies ownership, using Plastic Energy’s proprietary TAC chemical recycling technology. 
McDonald’s Netherlands risks €3.75M penalty over single-use cup violations
McDonalds server holding tray with food
McDonald’s Netherlands was determined to have violated Dutch single-use plastics (SUP) rules, introduced to implement the EU’s Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD), following an investigation from the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT). The ILT found that the fast food giant has been offering single-use cups for on-site consumption, despite the Dutch Regulation on Single-Use Plastic Products (RKEG) mandating that either reusable cups must be offered for dine-in eating or single-use cups be collected for recycling. 
Tetra Pak and Shanghai Meilin expand Tetra Recart into Asian dessert soups
Boxed next to a cup of soup dessert
Tetra Pak has partnered with Shanghai Meilin, a sub-brand of Shanghai Bright Meat Group, to expand the possibilities for packaged Asian soup desserts with its Tetra Recart carton packaging for shelf-stable foods. The companies say that Tetra Recart’s established category solution brings Asian dessert concepts’ rich ingredients, authentic flavors, and cultural heritage to supermarkets, convenience stores, and e-commerce platforms.
Ashwagandha targets mainstream F&B as formulation hurdles test suppliers
Consumer shopping in supermarket.

Food Ingredients First

Ashwagandha (or Indian Ginseng) is moving beyond its traditional position in capsules and powders, as manufacturers explore its potential in functional drinks, coffee and tea blends, confectionery, bars, and dairy alternatives. The botanical’s established association with stress management and broader well-being gives brands a recognizable functional story, but incorporating it into everyday products presents sensory, stability, and sourcing challenges.
Highlighted features
Avebe technical paper on PFAS-free oil and grease barriers for fibre-based food packaging
Technical paper
Out with PFAS On with performance. How do you develop an...
Removing PFAS changes more than the coating chemistry. This technical paper sets out five principles for designing fibre-based barriers, from choosing the right base paper and forming a continuous film to testing performance under production and end-use conditions. Explore the principles alongside examples from Avebe’s development work.This technical paper is brought to you by Royal Avebe.
vibrant fresh fruit and veg arial shot of market
Packaging & Technology News
EPR in Latin America: Regulatory momentum meets fragmented...
EPR legislation is expanding across Latin America as governments seek to reduce packaging waste and advance the circular economy, but fragmented regulations and socioeconomic realities continue to hamper implementation. Across Latin America, many countries have adopted national EPR laws or regulations that assign producers responsibility for packaging waste. These include Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela. However, the scope and regulatory status of the legislation vary between these countries and also differ regionally. 
A person taping a carton box
Research & Science news
Virginia Tech's monomaterial adhesive tape outperforms duct...
Chemists at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), US, have developed monomaterial pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) tapes with chemically recyclable plastic backing and an adhesive layer. Published in Advanced Functional Materials, the study used lipoic acid — a naturally occurring sulfur-containing compound found in foods such as broccoli and spinach — to develop large adhesive polymers. 

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Nutrition packaging formatsAug2026

Innova Market Insights data indicates that as consumers increasingly incorporate supplements and sports nutrition into their daily routines, product launches continue to grow, driving innovation in nu...

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Product innovation

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Caps & closures reimagined Sep 2026

Innova Market Insights data indicates that product launches have increased over the past two years, with reclosable claims showing particularly strong growth, reaching a +15% CAGR from July 2021 to June 2026. As reclosability gains momentum, caps and closures are becoming an increasingly important area for packaging innovation.

Trend analysis

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Trends in snack pack launchesSep 2026

Innova Market Insights data indicates that snack launches grew at a +8% CAGR from July 2021 to June 2026. Flat pouches accounted for 50% of these launches, aligning with consumer preferences for purchasing salty snacks in pouches. Cup packaging formats showed the fastest growth, while plastic was the dominant packaging material.

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Portrait of a woman in a circular frame beside a pile of colorful discarded plastic bottles for recycling.
Video14:49
Industrial Physics underscores pack testing as rPET and lightweighting reshape performance

Natalia Ciesla, strategic segment manager at Industrial Physics, talks to us about how recycled PET (rPET) content and lightweighting are impacting bottle performance requirements. She discusses how testing can validate changes at production scale, and how quality assurance may evolve alongside...

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Video04:23
Yangi scales dry-forming fiber technology for plastic MAP food tray replacement
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Video04:40
Smart Robotics showcases AI-driven Smart Palletizer 2.0
ProAmpac video thumbnail: Man standing beside sustainable product packaging displays, including chocolate nutraceutical protein powder and dried mang
Video06:47
ProAmpac spotlights fiber-based flexibles and active moisture technology
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