Cryovac recyclable shrink bags protect packaged meat products, featuring beef cuts alongside Cryovac and Sealed Air branding.
bartender hand at beer tap pouring a draft beer into glass serving in a bar or pub

UK government exempts hospitality glass packaging from pEPR fees

The UK government has announced that glass beverage containers sold directly from producers to pubs, restaurants, and other licensed hospitality venues will be exempt from packaging EPR (pEPR) fees from April 2027. The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) says that the measures aim to ensure that hospitality establishments “get a fairer deal” in fees associated with the disposal of packaging and waste. 
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SIG and Siegwerk: Filling and sealing innovations drive packaging efficiency and circularity
In the packaging industry, hardware and material innovators are aligning to create streamlined, highly adaptable filling and sealing operations. Packaging Insights speaks to SIG and Siegwerk about how the latest advancements in filling platforms and heat-sealing coatings address costs, downtime, and the circularity challenges of fiber-based packaging. 
Amcor booth at Pack Expo 2026
Amcor links packaging innovation with changing US consumer habits
At Pack Expo 2026, Amcor showcased its range of packaging innovations responding to changing US consumer habits. The company’s senior director of marketing for Flexibles North America, Mary Johnson, discussed how shifting retail and snacking trends, growing demand for convenience, packaging equipment automation, and more sustainable packaging are impacting the company’s offerings. “We are showcasing our full range of retail packaging, including consumer and end-user packaging,” Johnson told Packaging Insights. “We also offer equipment designed to bring together our films and packaging machinery, alongside our technical services, to create the most optimized packaging solution at the lowest total packaging cost.”
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Freezer-friendly formats
Innova Market Insights data indicates that packaging for frozen F&B launches is evolving across materials, formats, and sustainability claims. Europe leads frozen launches at 36%, followed by Asia at 27%. Plastic remains the leading material at 69%, while paper is gaining momentum with a 4% CAGR from October 2021 to September 2026.
ATS-Tanner banding machine applying a paper band to a product
Rethinking packaging: How banding can reduce materials, improve processes and prepare businesses for PPWR.
Discover how banding can reduce packaging material, simplify processes and support your PPWR strategy. This practical ATS-Tanner technical paper explores applications, material selection, automation and total costs. Use its practical questions and evaluation checklist to assess whether banding suits your products and helps you achieve your packaging and long-term business goals.This Technical Paper is brought to you by ATS-Tanner.
Pack Expo 2026 Waites video thumbnail: Smiling man in glasses and a brown blazer pictured alongside an industrial conveyor system with curved roller tracks in a factory
Pack Expo 2026: Waites CEO spotlights AI-powered conveyor monitoring system

Waites launched its AI-powered Conveyance monitoring system that aims to predict conveyor failures using vibration and temperature sensors at Pack Expo 2026. Rob Ratterman, CEO and co-founder, explained how predictive maintenance can reduce unplanned downtime, maintenance demands, and operational costs.

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Sealed Air and Lenovo scale straw-based molded pulp packaging for laptops
A packaging for a laptop
Sealed Air’s subsidiary, Fagerdala, is highlighting its collaboration with Lenovo to develop a plastic-free packaging solution for laptops made from 50% straw pulp and 50% recycled paper pulp. Introduced to the Chinese market in 2025, the solution is designed to replace plastic cushioning materials while supporting the recovery and reuse of agricultural waste without compromising protective performance. 
Appetite Creative joins GS1 US program ahead of Sunrise 2027
Man scans QR cose on bottle
Appetite Creative has become part of the GS1 US Solution Partner Program, a network of technology and service providers aiming to help businesses “correctly” implement GS1 Sunrise standards globally. The GS1 US Solution Partner Program sets out to create a common foundation for business, including standardization for barcodes and product data, according to Appetite Creative. The digital marketing and connected packaging studio based in London, UK, says that it will contribute to the network by supporting brands in designing and building consumer brand experiences on GS1-standard QR codes. It will provide expertise in delivering information and experiences such as recipes, games, customer feedback, and stock management. 
Sidel to spotlight liquid packaging technologies at Drink Japan 2026
Sidel's EloBlow Laser
Sidel will showcase its EvoBlow Laser and Aseptic Predis X4 systems for liquid packaging at the upcoming Drink Japan 2026 in Tokyo (Nov 18–20). The global liquid packaging equipment and services provider says it will also be discussing the beverage packaging industry’s demand for improved precision, cost-efficiency, operational agility, and recyclability. “Drink Japan 2026 is an important showcase for Sidel in one of our most significant markets, with around a third of the Japanese food processing industry focused on liquids and particularly beverages and the growing soft drinks market,” explains Fujii Takeshi, country director at Sidel Japan. 
Huhtamaki and Sappi face US lawsuit over alleged PFAS water contamination
Professional Engineer Inspecting Drainage Water Quality for Environmental Infrastructure
A district water utility in Maine, US, has filed a federal lawsuit against five paper, tissue, and packaging companies, including Huhtamaki and Sappi North America, for allegedly contaminating groundwater wells connected to the Kennebec River with PFAS. Greater Augusta Utility District owns and operates a public drinking water system that supplies water to approximately 13,750 residents through 5,500 service connections in and around Augusta. 
MM Group sells 70% stake in MM Packaging to KPS in €2.4B deal
Warehouse worker loading cardboard boxes onto a delivery truck
MM Group has signed a definitive agreement to sell its 70% stake in MM Packaging to the US private equity firm KPS Capital Partners, for an enterprise value of €2.4 billion (US$2.6 billion). MM Group, headquartered in Vienna, Austria, will retain a 30% ownership stake in the packaging company, which, upon closing of the deal, will operate as a standalone company under the name of MM Packaging. 
Pilot to profit: How can Europe close its alternative protein scale-up gap?
Three women and two men on stage during panel discussion.

Food Ingredients First

Alternative protein innovation in Europe is proliferating, but manufacturers sometimes still struggle with moving from promising laboratory processes into reliable and cost-effective production. At Future of Protein Production (FPP) Amsterdam 2026, industry discussions centered around how process engineering, shared infrastructure, and commercial discipline can help innovators cross the scale-up gap. According to the Good Food Institute Europe, European funders invested €1.3 billion (US$1.4 billion) in alternative-protein research between 2020 and 2025. However, the findings from a European Commission-funded study underscore the challenges facing innovators seeking to move beyond research and pilot production. High production costs, uneven technological readiness, and regulatory uncertainty are limiting biomass and precision fermentation in the EU. 
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consumer unpacks egg carton from shopping bag
Packaging & Technology News
EU’s CEN greenlights new biodegradable packaging standards...
National Members of the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) have approved four new technical specifications related to packaging made from biodegradable plastics. The technical specifications include guidelines for the design of rigid and flexible biodegradable plastic packaging, as well as a recyclability evaluation, under the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) Delegated Act on Design for Recycling, which is set for adoption by January 2028. 
Two smiling workers look at tablet
Tech & Innovation
Webinar preview: FoodChain ID to demonstrate practical PPWR...
FoodChain ID will highlight its food packaging compliance solution targeting the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) in an upcoming webinar hosted by Packaging Insights, titled: “How to achieve PPWR compliance: A practical guide.” During the webinar, packaging manufacturers and converters, brand owners, F&B manufacturers, retailers, importers, and other industry players can gain regulatory and supply-chain insight alongside a practical product demonstration. Registration for the free webinar on November 17 at 3 PM CET is now open.
ATS-Tanner banding machine applying a paper band to a product
Technical paper
Rethinking packaging: How banding can reduce materials,...
Discover how banding can reduce packaging material, simplify processes and support your PPWR strategy. This practical ATS-Tanner technical paper explores applications, material selection, automation and total costs. Use its practical questions and evaluation checklist to assess whether banding suits your products and helps you achieve your packaging and long-term business goals.This Technical Paper is brought to you by ATS-Tanner.

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Trends in AI use for packaging manufacturingOct2026

Innova Market Insights data indicates that more manufacturers are launching products in new packaging formats. The growing number of formats, materials, and sustainability requirements is creating mor...

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Sustainable label trends Nov 2026

According to Innova Market Insights data, 70% of consumers globally believe sustainability challenges require immediate action, and 36% think it is very important to address these issues in F&B product packaging. Brands are responding with a wider range of packaging claims, including compostable, recyclable, plant-based, bio-based, and recycled content.

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Freezer-friendly formatsNov 2026

Innova Market Insights data indicates that packaging for frozen F&B launches is evolving across materials, formats, and sustainability claims. Europe leads frozen launches at 36%, followed by Asia at 27%. Plastic remains the leading material at 69%, while paper is gaining momentum with a 4% CAGR from October 2021 to September 2026.

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Pack Expo 2026 Waites video thumbnail: Smiling man in glasses and a brown blazer pictured alongside an industrial conveyor system with curved roller tracks in a factory
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Pack Expo 2026: Waites CEO spotlights AI-powered conveyor monitoring system

Waites launched its AI-powered Conveyance monitoring system that aims to predict conveyor failures using vibration and temperature sensors at Pack Expo 2026. Rob Ratterman, CEO and co-founder, explained how predictive maintenance can reduce unplanned downtime, maintenance demands, and...

Man holding a printed food container at the Engineered Printing Solutions trade show booth, showcasing XD-AQ inkjet printing technology.
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Pack Expo 2026: Engineered Printing Solutions launches ink for molded fiber packaging
PackExpo 2026 Graphic Packaging International video thumbnail: Representative smiling at a trade show, alongside attendees networking at a packaging exhibition booth
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Pack Expo 2026: Graphic Packaging presents paper solutions for EPR compliance
SACMI exhibition stand showcasing industrial packaging machinery, with a man in a blue suit and red tie featured in a circular inset.
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Pack Expo 2026: Sacmi Packaging & Chocolate USA CEO talks flowpack automation
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