PACKAGING MATERIALS
T
he European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) has certainly brought the need for more sustainable packaging into
sharp focus for the confectionery industry. The regulation sets clear targets to promote circularity and improve plastic recycling across Europe, requiring the design of packaging that is recyclable, and by 2030, all packaging will need to be fully recyclable or reusable. Offering some insights into the PPWR
Regulation, Konrad Wasserbauer, Global Director Circular Economy & Sustainability at Greiner Packaging, explained that the purpose of the regulation is to reduce packaging waste, promote recycling and increase the use of recycled materials. “Many details related to its implementation are still undetermined and will be specified in the coming years through secondary legislation,” he says. “The European Commission is currently working on almost 50 such acts which detail, for example, how to calculate percentages of recycled materials or which design-for-recycling criteria must be fulfilled. Most of these secondary laws are expected to be developed between 2026 and 2028.” However, Konrad highlighted a key element
of the new regulation – that packaging must be designed from the start to be recyclable. “Article 6 of the PPWR stipulates that packaging materials must meet certain design criteria to be considered recyclable – a concept known as ‘design for material recycling’. This means that materials and packaging designs must be chosen so that they can be integrated efficiently into existing recycling processes.” For confectionery producers this means
that, in the future, only packaging materials that meet these requirements may be brought on to the market so it is important to ensure that the packaging materials chosen today will continue to conform to requirements in the long term. Standards developed by the European
standardisation institute (CEN) are playing a central role in deciding which packaging materials will be considered recyclable in the future. In addition to design criteria, they include reference processes for sorting and recycling that facilitate uniform assessment. This method is based on a traffic-light system that sorts packaging materials into different categories – from easy to recycle (green) to non-recyclable (red). The Joint Research Centre (JRC) is
supporting this process and converting the traffic-light system into a metric system in a second step. This can be used to evaluate the recyclability of the packaging, expressed in
PACKAGED GOODS THAT DO NOT ALIGN WITH THE
REQUIREMENTS OF PPWR WILL NOT BE ALLOWED ON THE EU MARKET
mass percent, and to assign it to one of the categories defined in the PPWR – such as A, B, or C. “This two-step process will be developed by 2028 and will form the framework for classifying packaging materials under the PPWR,” confirms Konrad. With PPWR looking set to have a very wide impact, its content needs to be followed and understood by everyone producing or using packaging. The regulation will embed sustainability criteria as a condition of EU market access. Crucially, it means that packaged goods that do not align with the requirements of PPWR will not be allowed on the EU market.
Innovation is no longer optional While currently there are still some elements of uncertainly within the PPWR regulation, which makes the choice of packaging solutions more challenging, one thing is certain – consumers are increasingly expressing a strong dislike for plastic
packaging, with many now also willing to pay more for products that embrace more environmentally-friendly packaging materials. This means that, for confectionery manufacturers, packaging innovation is no longer optional – it is essential. “Brands today face a complex balancing act,” says Rasel Khan, Sales Manager for Packaging Materials at Stora Enso. “There are regulatory pressures to reduce plastic, rising sustainability expectations from consumers, and the need to preserve product quality across long supply chains. The market is looking for lightweight, strong, and visually appealing packaging solutions that lower carbon emissions.” Stora Enso believes that its Performa Nova offering delivers on all fronts, helping brands reduce CO emissions, maintain structural integrity, and support traceable sustainability claims-while also enhancing shelf appeal. The lightweight fibre-based packaging board is said to offer a good print surface and natural moisture resistance which makes it well suited to use in chocolate and confectionery applications.
Maintaining functionality While agreeing that sustainability is currently a key driver for packaging material innovation, Coveris argues that it is also vital that any new packaging should maintain its performance, functionality, and consumer-friendly features. “We are seeing an increasing number of brands now adopting paper or mono-material plastic packaging to simplify recycling processes,” says Melinda Bonamour, Market Development Director Paper at Coveris. Coveris believes that the first important step in this evolution is a move towards
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