Image: Dow
How labels are becoming more recyclable
12.09.2023
A world without labels? Inconceivable. Their endless variety of materials, shapes and functions help labels attract attention. But it should also be possible to separate them from their packaging again at the end of the packaging’s life in the interests of a circular economy. Recyclable solutions are on the way.
Image: BASF
What are the environmental impacts of alternative raw materials?
12.09.2023
In mass balancing, chemically recycled or bio-based raw materials are input at the very beginning of plastics production and then computationally assigned to the end products. Using the example of flexible mozzarella packaging, a study investigated whether and how this procedure influences the life-cycle assessment of packaging produced from these raw materials.
Image: PulPac
Eurostars project for fibre-based packaging concluded
11.07.2023
As part of the Eurostars funding programme, PulPac in Sweden and the Bio-Lutions start-up in Germany have together developed a prototype for a new dry-moulded-fibre machine that’s able to process fibres from agricultural waste. The project saw them adapting standard components that are traditionally used to make plastic products.
Image: Rotzinger
Wireless automation
11.07.2023
Manufacturing increasingly requires automated solutions that intelligently network components within plants. Rotzinger is therefore now using CoreTigo's wireless IO-link technology in its new machine for packaging food. The technology is being employedfor wireless control of grippers on a rail system as they move through the plant performing tasks.
Image: thyssenkrupp Rasselstein
Tin packaging becomes more climate-friendly
13.06.2023
They are regarded as best for recycling: Tin cans, tubes and bottles. But they don’t score well in terms of their carbon footprint because it is not yet possible to produce steel without using coal as the source of energy. Industry is, however, working on more sustainable solutions and has launched the first carbon-reduced steel for packaging.
Image: Gary Chan/unsplash
Labels with separation information on packaging help the circular economy
13.06.2023
Efficient and consistent recycling is one of the pillars of a functioning circular economy in the packaging industry. Such recycling includes the correct separation of packaging so that it can be fed into its respective recycling stream. A survey has now shown that information about separation can play a decisive role for consumers.
Image: BASF
Compostable coating for food-safe paper packaging
13.06.2023
Barrier properties are particularly important to food packaging. Consumers are additionally demanding solutions that are environmentally friendly. BASF has developed an extrusion coating for paper and cardboard packaging, which may be composted both industrially and domestically.
Image: Milliken & Co.
Mono-material packaging solutions take center stage at interpack
23.05.2023
Polypropylene is durable, lightweight and very popular as a packaging material, but often requires multi-material constructions to ensure end-use performance, making such packages difficult to recycle. New material developments –– improving barrier properties and clarity –– are making effective, all-PP packages a reality.
Image: SonicView
Designing barrier-free packaging
16.05.2023
No packaging, no product protection. But how can the visually impaired be sure about what they’re putting in their shopping baskets? A German designer has come up with a clever solution to this problem.
The students worked on the research project in six teams. (Image: BAU)
SAVE FOOD research project: New food packaging from leftover food
18.04.2023
Food production generates a lot of residual material, which is usually not put to use but disposed of. At the same time, there is an increasing demand for alternatives to plastic packaging. Biodegradable and compostable packaging can be a sustainable solution, especially if it is made of leftovers from food production.
Impression of a trade fair hall at interpack
These topics will shape interpack 2023
18.04.2023
Circular economy, conserving resources, digital technologies and product safety – those are the four hot topics which will shape interpack 2023 more than any other issue. But what exactly are these focal points of interest all about?
tna at interpack 2023
Advertorial - Virtual processing and packaging world to advance sustainability
10.04.2023
tna invites food producers for a virtual factory immersive experience at interpack 2023.
The carbon neutral paperfloc eco systems keep temperature sensitive products cold and can be disposed of completely with the waste paper. (Image: easy2cool GmbH)
Green shipping package for temperature sensitive products
13.03.2023
When food, cosmetics or pharmaceutical products have to be shipped, they sometimes need constant cooling. Often, the solution is polystyrene. The Munich company easy2cool has developed a sustainable alternative. The paperfloc systems are fully recyclable.
Is automation the end-all and be-all? (Image: Rock'n Roll Monkey/unsplash)
Where does automation help in packaging?
10.03.2023
Trend topic or permanent issue? Everybody is talking about automation. However, switching to fully automated packaging solutions is anything but a guarantee for success. Small and medium sized companies should consider several things before investing in large machinery.
As part of the WaysTUP! project, Aimplas has produced a plastic wrap from coffee grounds. (Image: Aimplas)
Plastic wrap from coffee grounds
14.02.2023
The project WaysTUP! is looking for new use options to maintain organic waste in circulation for longer and to use it as secondary raw materials. The Spanish centre for plastic technology Aimplas is using coffee grounds to make biobased polymers for flexible packaging.
Looks like PET, but is PEF bioplastic. (Image: Avantium)
Bioplastics in packaging
14.02.2023
There is a reason why the packaging industry has been focusing for decades on the many different applications for fossil plastics. Now, companies are increasingly focussing on biobased plastics. But what are the possible applications, and what needs to be considered during the changeover?
The new film by allvac is suitable for wrapping foods and has a high degree of recyclability. (Image: allvac Folien GmbH)
Recyclable wrap for food packaging
16.01.2023
Film wrapping can achieve an appetising presentation of foods at the PoS. For composite films, their ability to be recycled is especially relevant. allvac has achieved confirmation from the cyclos-HTP institute that their new wrapping film is 100 percent recyclable.
Bio-based adhesives may for example be produced from pine resin. (Image: Michele Purin/unsplash)
Glue goes green
17.11.2022
Quite often, consumers only take notice of it when it doesn’t work: glue. But as invisible as this little helper of packaging might be, so important is paying attention to its carbon balance, too. Improvements can be made, for example by using bio-based adhesives.
Plastics can also be produced from fibre-based raw materials, for example from sugar cane. (Credit: Victoria Priessnitz/unsplash)
A bioplastic for every application
24.10.2022
Fossil plastics have a lot of advantages, but they are also said to be harmful to the environment. Bioplastics are an alternative for packaging manufacturers. They are just as versatile, but are made using renewable resources, and some are even compostable.
The Maggi condiment over the years. The dark bottle with the red and gold design remains unique until today. (Image: Nestlé)
125 years of Maggi in Germany
25.09.2022
Some brands seem made for eternity – and so is their respective packaging. Maggi, Swiss manufacturer of condiments, is a fixture in many modern kitchens, and in German-speaking areas every child recognises the brown bottle with its red and gold label.
Many companies are switching their packaging to mono-materials like polypropylene. But what are their advantages and disadvantages? (Picture: Shutterstock/ CalypsoArt)
Mono-material, a ray of hope
17.08.2022
The industry is in pursuit of the circular economy. That is why, in the packaging industry, companies are increasingly switching to mono-materials. But what exactly does that term mean, and why are these packaging materials becoming ever more popular?
Image: AdobeStock
Sausage wrap that can be recycled
21.07.2022
Sliced sausage is supposed to look good on the refrigerator shelves in the supermarket and is usually wrapped in non-recyclable transparent composite film. Now, thanks to energy-efficient heating systems in thermoforming machines for packaging, it is possible to use more sustainable materials – while maintaining the same level of safety, quality and transparency.
Image: Froneri Finland Oy
Ice cream packaged in mono-material
21.07.2022
Companies continue to ask themselves how they can meet customers' demands for sustainable packaging. Together, Borealis, Froneri and Paccor have found an answer, and are packaging ice cream from the brand Aino in mono-material.
Image: AdobeStock
Less material needed to produce sealing films
21.07.2022
Films are an important part of packaging: They provide an impenetrable barrier between the product and the environment. That said, industrial handling of such sealing films is not always simple. A cooperation between Plasthill and Constantia Flexibles has now led to the development of a PE film which uses less material, thus leading to reduced CO2 emissions, yet has greater seal strength.
Image: "Mülltrennung wirkt" (waste separation works) initiative / Steffen Jagenburg
Public obligations for recycling: Germany – a good role model?
14.07.2022
In 2019, the Central Agency Packaging Register started its work. Since then, companies that place packaging in circulation must register with it. An amendment to the German Packaging Act led to this requirement being extended to all online retailers and providers of take-away packaging on July 1st, 2022. Is this still reasonable or is this over-regulation?
Photo: Kier In Sight / unsplash
Mono-material sachets
21.06.2022
For packaging made of plastic, their potential to be recycled is very important. Refilling systems save material. Mono-material sachets and bags also reduce the amount of material consumed, protect packaged goods and have practical uses for customers.
Image: Südpack
Flow packs as a sustainable solution in food packaging
25.05.2022
From requiring less material in production to taking up less space on supermarket shelves, flow packs have some clear benefits. Predominantly used in the food sector, this packaging is becoming more and more popular. But how sustainable are these packs?
Image: CFPR
Digitisation you can print
19.05.2022
For many packagers, labelling products correctly is part of their daily business. But digitisation has now entered this field as well. As a result, some manufacturers are working on combining tried and tested labels with bits and bytes.
Image: Erda Estremera/unsplash
The trend for paper packaging
08.02.2022
Paper packaging has always been part of the scenery in every supermarket. Lately, however, it’s also been creeping into areas where it’s slightly more unusual. There’s more behind this trend than pure marketing strategy.
Image: Peter Tubaas, Vestland Media
Fish in packaging made from chemically recycled plastic
04.02.2022
Styropor boxes are a popular choice for transportation, particularly when food or medication need to be kept cool on the road. In Norway, this task is now fulfilled by the world’s first styropor boxes made from chemically recycled plastic.
Image: Chase McBride/unsplash
Weaving a web for the future
16.12.2021
Researchers from Cambridge University had a mad idea for a new, sustainable alternative to plastic packaging – vegan spider silk. The start-up Xampla now wants to market this plant protein-based material and use it to protect consumer goods.
Photo: HiPP
HiPP organic food jars are climate-positive
10.08.2021
In close cooperation with sustainability consultancy Soil & More Impacts, baby foods manufacturer HiPP is analysing the entire manufacturing process for its jars of organic HiPP food so as to ensure their production is climate-positive along the entire value chain, from the field to the retailer’s warehouse.
Photo: Yuka
The Eco-score makes sustainability visible
19.02.2021
With the Eco-score label, another new food labelling campaign from France has been brought onto the European market. The Nutri-score focused on the health of the customer, but the environmental friendliness of the product is paramount for the Eco-score.
Photo by Imants Kaziļuns on Unsplash
Is the virus present on packaging?
12.01.2021
After a year, we all know more about the coronavirus, but it’s still not enough. Therefore, some of us are asking whether an infection hazard is posed by packaging. The experts say that the answer is no: according to the latest findings, packaging is not a significant source of infection.
Photo: McDonalds
The future of sustainable fast food packaging?
15.12.2020
Packaging is a valuable commodity and should be reused as often as possible, or recycled expediently. Burger King and McDonald’s are starting pilot projects in line with this theme and are testing reusable Loop solutions in fast food packaging for burgers and other foods.
Photo: EDEKA
The reusable packaging trend
02.10.2020
Reusable packaging can be a resource-saving alternative to single-use packaging and is very popular with consumers. Environmental protection laws and the high demand for sustainable packaging solutions brings more and more reusable packaging into the retail market.
Foto: Nestlé
A Vegan Barbecue
29.06.2020
The barbecue season has begun. The wide variety of new vegan meat substitutes, brought out in response to the trend for vegan barbecues, show that steaks and burgers don’t necessarily need to be made of meat to be tasty. Mixing and filling machines need to work with great precision when processing these complex ingredients.
Foto: Messe Düsseldorf, Constanze Tillmann
Plastic packaging: Good or bad?
16.04.2020
Plastics are a hot topic and polarise debate at the moment. Public perception of them is often bleak. Specialists praise them because they perform well in life cycle assessments. Who’s right? We want to throw some light on the subject of plastic packaging and take a closer look at this subject in this article.
Foto: Charles Deluvio, Unsplash
The pros and cons of packaging cucumbers
14.04.2020
After consumption, cucumbers that have been packed in foil result in plastic waste. However, when these delicious veggies are not packed in protective packaging, a significant share winds up in the bin and is not consumed at all – particularly during the winter season, when cucumbers are imported from Southern Europe.
© ALDI SÜD
Fresh meat packaging: Demand is on the up
18.03.2020
The globally increasing demand for packaged fresh meat leads to innovative developments in the meat packaging sector. These days, packaging and materials must be recyclable, compostable and renewable. Technology such as vacuum skin packaging, thermoforming and modified atmosphere packaging are equally gobbling up the market currently.
© FRoSTA
Paper replaces plastic in frozen food packaging
21.01.2020
From now on, there will be no more plastic in the refrigerated section – at least when it comes to selected product packaging by frozen food manufacturers FRoSTA and iglo. Their packaging innovations no longer include any plastic whilst still protecting contents ideally against permanent moisture, say the companies.
Only the best
27.09.2016
Would you like a bit more? In the luxury product segment it is very common to spend a few more euros on packaging that is both striking and unique.
Food Safety
14.09.2016
Technical progress and changes in lifestyle and society are also leading to different demands on food packaging. Safety, sustainability and convenience have come to be standard consumer requirements. Also, experts are anticipating a rise in e-commerce which, again, will impact the packaging of food and beverages.
Spoon at the Ready
23.08.2016
Worldwide there is a growing trend towards “to-go” options and there are more and more innovations for practical products in the packaging segment. One case in point being the EcoSpoon – a foldable spoon for carefree food enjoyment on the go.
Perfectly imperfect
20.07.2016
Tesco’s have decided to do something about global food waste. The supermarket chain recently developed a new range called Wonky Food which has its own, specially designed packaging. The fruit and veg is sold at selected outlets and is the kind that most of us wouldn’t be very keen on.
Plain text at a glance
13.07.2016
Food labelling is meant to inform consumers about nutritional values and the health risks of products. But some companies are trying to find a way around these ratings thereby reducing the actual added value of these ratings.
Three cups of hot coffee from the bag
01.07.2016
No compromises on taste: for picnics, camping, the garden, office and all outdoor “tasks” freshly brewed coffee is now available – conveniently poured from a bag. Photo: Coffeebrewer Nordic A/S
A Sporting Year
22.06.2016
The World Cup, the European Cup, the Olympics – already months ahead of all large sporting events marketing and design departments in the consumer goods and food industry are abuzz, busily producing special-edition product packaging.
Sustainable Packaging
19.06.2016
Increasing demand for ecological packaging.
Debate on best-before date produces new business ideas - Expired, but still fine
31.05.2016
While the European Union is still debating the best-before date, a clever guy in Yorkshire has set up a flourishing enterprise, selling food which is past that date.
Product recall: Quality in the manufacturing and packaging process decides
19.05.2016
The recent recall of chocolate products bearing the MARS®, SNICKERS®, MILKY WAY® and CELEBRATIONS® brands makes it perfectly clear once again how important the control of manufacturing and packaging processes is, especially in the food and pharmaceuticals industries.
XXL packages have become obsolete
17.05.2016
Small packaging sizes are not just helpful while travelling; they also meet the changing requirements of an ageing society and the growing number of small households. Precisely tailored packaging plays a major part in the fight against food waste.
Coffee capsules likely to remain exempt from mandatory deposit
25.04.2016
They are extremely practical and the coffee they contain is exceptionally tasty. The colourful aluminium capsules are currently the focus of public attention again giving rise to the demand for a deposit system. How things will go for ‘Nespresso’ & Co. in Germany in the future remains to be seen.
If it’s still edible, it doesn’t belong in the bin
08.04.2016
As hunger is increasing in the world, the prevention of food losses should of course be of concern to everyone. However, it should be especially at the focus of the food industry. As well as increasing social responsibility, Save Food innovations are also of benefit to the energy balance of a business.
Colourful = lots of taste!
17.03.2016
There is no denying that packaging influences purchasing decisions at the PoS. But attractive packaging not only boosts sales – its type and colour can also impact shoppers’ taste buds.
Ready-to-eat trend benefits frozen food packaging producers
02.02.2016
According to extrapolations of market research institute Transparency Market research (TMR), the global market for frozen food products will grow to US$ 293.7 billion by 2019. The right packaging, as well as controlled storage and transport conditions, ensures the quality of frozen produce.
This packaging ist protected!
02.02.2016
Packaging designers are never completely free in their aesthetic choices. This has recently emerged in a variety of court rulings throughout the world. Disputes about patent protection for word-and-image logos and registered designs can meet with a wide range of views among affected persons, judges and even countries
2016: New food packaging regulations
18.01.2016
Both the European Union and the United States are set to implement new food packaging regulations this year. Their primary purpose is make product information more transparent for the consumer and to ensure that this is reflected on the packaging.
Packaging that looks at you
14.01.2016
Packaging can make a positive contribution to a reduction of litter. This has been the result of a recent study in the UK which examined people’s willingness to put packaging in the bin or drop it as litter.
New Yorkers divided on airpop®
11.01.2016
Politicians vs courts: New York City is divided into two camps on the continued use of polystyrene packaging, also known as airpop®. Six months after a ban was issued on take-away packaging and doggy bags made from expanded polystyrene, the ban has now been removed again by the Supreme Court of the city.
Recycling champion tin plate
06.01.2016
Boasting a recycling percentage of over 90% tinplate again outperformed all competing packaging materials last year. Sheet steel owes its top position first and foremost to its material resistance.
Hot food at the press of a button
09.12.2015
Self-heating packaging has been around for quite a while now, after it was first developed in Europe and the United States nearly 10 years ago – though without any resounding success. As the cold season is upon us, the Belgian packaging specialists at Scaldopack have designed an eco-friendly bag which automatically heats up its content at the press of a button.
Sales growth on the packaging market
03.12.2015
According to current figures by the United Nations, a total of some five billion people will be living in cities by 2018. The packaging sector is also forecast to grow correspondingly according to, among others, experts from the market research institute “Smithers Pira”
Transparent packaging
01.10.2015
The tracking code of followfish shows the origin of each ingredient. Will this soon be standard in the food industry?