ECO-FRIENDLY PACKAGING INNOVATIONS MORE
SUSTAINABILITY WITH PRINTING
As EU regulations push for recyclable, transparent packaging, manufacturers are turning to advanced printing technologies to replace labels and deliver essential product information.
P
ackaging can reveal its contents in many ways. Shape and colour are just as important for communication as are labels or imprints. The issue of
whether product information should be affixed to the packaging material or not has more than only aesthetic implications. The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation stipulates stringent requirements for future packaging – with indirect consequences for its marking. For manufacturers, this entails selecting the
most suitable option from several alternatives – in line with the product, packaging, available investment funds and the current legal framework. Among its other requirements, the EU’s Packaging & Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) sets high standards for marking and labelling that manufacturers need to comply with from 2026 onwards. From the first year of the regulation’s application, batch and serial numbers as well as the manufacturer’s contact details will be mandatory on packaging. In the same year, QR codes or other digital information carriers will be required to provide information
on recyclability. This may include information on the recycling process, repair and return systems. As of 2028, standardised pictograms will be introduced across the EU to provide information on material composition1. The PPWR’s requirement to develop
packaging that is as recyclable as possible remains unaffected. While manufacturers can opt for monomaterials, reduced hot glue quantities or higher recycled content, for instance, they have entirely different levers at their disposal when it comes to marking. These vary depending on the packaging material, production speeds and depth of information. What they have in common is a move away from the classic label, which is viewed critically from a PPWR perspective unless it is also made of monomaterials – and is therefore easy to recycle.
Potential beyond the label “There are many approaches that can be used for PPWR-compliant marking, all of which can be implemented using printing technologies,” highlights Stefan Horvath, Product Manager at Gerhard Schubert GmbH’s Packaging Competence Centre. In particular, QR or 2D barcodes on packaging are likely to play a greater role in the future, as the PPWR calls for transparency in packaging material recycling. This also includes the Digital Product Passport (DPP), which is set to become mandatory for the first product groups starting in 2027 as a key element of EU circular transparency. The DPP is intended to give consumers,
THERE ARE MANY
APPROACHES THAT CAN BE USED FOR PPWR-COMPLIANT MARKING, ALL OF WHICH CAN BE IMPLEMENTED USING PRINTING TECHNOLOGIES
recyclers, manufacturers and authorities access to reliable data on the composition, origin and processability of the materials used in a given type of packaging. For recyclers, for example, this could simplify the manual sorting of plastics thanks to improved material recognition. However, this advance information is so comprehensive that it cannot be printed on the packaging itself, but is available on external sources such as websites. The codes mentioned above act as an interface to the outsourced information.
Printing instead of gluing But how do the digital data carriers get onto the packaging? Codes can provide information on sorting or disposal without taking up much space on the packaging. However, additional product or packaging data required by regulations often means increased development costs, as conventional printing technology such as
40 • KENNEDY’S CONFECTION • FEBRUARY 2026
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