Comment
kp delves inside the future of food packaging with industry leaders
At kp, we have long held the view that the sourcing of packaging is no longer just a technical procurement decision, but a strategic one. The pressures converging on the food packaging industry right now, from tightening regulation and consumer scrutiny to rapid advances in technology, are accelerating that shift.
hat conviction is what led us to bring together voices from across the value chain for our ‘Inside the Future of Food Packaging’ event, held at the iconic Silverstone motor racing circuit. Retailers, recyclers, technology providers and manufacturers all joined the conversation on how the industry can adapt to evolving sustainability regulations while maintaining performance, shelf appeal and commercial viability.
T
Discussions ranged from extended producer responsibility (EPR) and the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) to consumer recycling behaviour, soft plastics and the growing role of AI on the factory floor and in packaging design. While each topic considered a different challenge, a consistent theme emerged: the need for greater clarity, collaboration and data-driven decision-making across the entire packaging ecosystem. As our president of food packaging, Thomas Jakobsen, puts it: “Packaging today is no longer simply about containment or protection. It is about balancing increasingly complex demands, performance, sustainability, compliance and cost, often under tighter timelines and greater scrutiny than ever before. In a world where volatility is increasingly the new constant, working in isolation is not an option.” CONSUMER TRUST IS BECOMING PART OF PACKAGING PERFORMANCE The time when packaging was a supporting player is in the past; it’s now a headline act. This was evidenced by James Piper of the Talking Rubbish podcast, whose talk at the event focused on packaging communication as a live public issue.
James highlighted confusion around QR codes, Deposit Return Schemes (DRS) policies
and generic or misleading recycling claims to illustrate that the industry has a tendency to make things complex when what consumers really want is clarity. Technical proof points have to be presented in context and communicated eff ectively to appeal to modern consumers. For example, James discussed the gap between recycling data and public-facing recycling claims. Campaigns that count individual plastic items rather than weighing them are unhelpful, because they can count a crisp packet and a plastic bottle equally, even though they represent very diff erent amounts of material. Communications need a consistently clear approach when making claims and applying data.
REGULATIONS ARE EVOLVING, AND THE STAKES ARE HIGH
In the week of the event, a coalition of more than 200 companies signed a letter urging the EU not to reopen the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and to implement it effi ciently. This only reinforces the fact that the issue of regulations is a live and still evolving one. Unsurprisingly, PPWR and EPR reforms were a key topic of discussion at the event. Denise Mathieson, head of packaging innovation & programme delivery at Waitrose & Partners, suggested that the raft of new compliance
standards created a balancing act that many businesses are still unprepared for. While the focus on EPR is welcome, Denise argued that the same focus should be applied to PPWR, given its far-reaching impact on issues like PET recycling. James Piper also made this argument, using baked beans as an example of how it could affect a staple food item. He compared the cost of packaging a thousand beans in plastic snap pots, steel cans and glass jars. Under the weight-based system of EPR, he estimated this would cost 3p for plastic, 5p for steel, and 13p for glass, illustrating how weight-based legislation may push the market towards lighter formats like plastic, even where recycling infrastructure remains imperfect. This potentially creates a tension with PPWR, which focuses on recyclability, recycled content and reuse; a tension that can only be solved by focusing on real end-of-life outcomes, not by categorising certain materials as inherently ‘good’ or ‘bad’.
Bringing together perspectives from across retail, recycling, technology, manufacturing and packaging design was a deliberate choice. Because the challenges ahead, from EPR and PPWR to soft plastics, AI and real-world recyclability, cannot be solved in isolation. They require the kind of open, evidence-led dialogue that the kp event made possible. As food businesses navigate increasing pressure to perform, comply and adapt, the role of packaging will continue to evolve. Those best positioned to succeed will be those able to combine technical expertise with transparency, data and cross-industry collaboration. kp’s focus is on supporting that shift – working in partnership with customers and across the value chain to help turn complexity into clarity and ambition into practical action.
8
July/August 2026
www.convertermag.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38
