INDUSTRY NEWS
Fairtrade warns chocolate under threat from climate change
New research conducted by Kantar for the Fairtrade Foundation shows that half of UK adults under 34 would be more likely to vote for a government that upholds the country’s climate commitments. The findings come as Fairtrade warns that climate change is increasingly threatening the production of everyday staples such as coffee, tea, cocoa and bananas. Ahead of London Climate Action
Week, Fairtrade is launching Fair on the Planet, part of its 2026 Do It Fair campaign, to highlight the challenges faced by farmers dealing with extreme heat, unpredictable rainfall, flooding and crop diseases. The organisation is also calling on the UK Government to introduce Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence (HREDD) legislation, requiring businesses to address environmental and human rights impacts within their supply chains. Public support for stronger action appears high, with 76% of respondents saying businesses should be required to demonstrate they protect human rights and reduce environmental harm. Fairtrade Advocacy Director
Marie Rumsby said climate change is already affecting the farmers who produce many of the foods and drinks consumers rely on daily, despite those communities contributing least to the crisis. She argued that voluntary corporate action is no longer sufficient and called for stronger government regulation. Research cited by Fairtrade highlights growing risks to global food production. Suitable land for tea cultivation in Kenya, which supplies around 40% of UK tea, could decline by 25% by 2050. Coffee-growing regions may lose 30–60% of suitable land by mid-century, while banana- growing areas in Latin America and the Caribbean could shrink by 60% by 2080. Cocoa production has also been disrupted by extreme weather and disease, contributing to significant price volatility. Fairtrade will host events and
festival activities across the UK to raise awareness, while farmers such as Silvia Herrera from Mexico have highlighted the rising costs of adapting to changing climate conditions after severe harvest losses linked to drought.
Coveris announces acquisition of GEFO in Germany
European packaging manufacturer Coveris has acquired the business and assets of German cast polypropylene (CPP) film producer GEFO Folienbetrieb GmbH, strengthening its position in specialty CPP applications and recyclable packaging solutions. The acquisition supports Coveris’ strategy to expand CPP extrusion capacity
in response to growing demand for recyclable mono-material packaging. It also advances the company’s “No Waste” sustainability vision and helps customers prepare for upcoming European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) requirements. CPP films are increasingly valued in flexible packaging due to their
recyclability and suitability for mono-polymer packaging structures. Before the acquisition, Coveris operated a single CPP extrusion site in Kufstein, Austria, which was already running at full capacity. The addition of GEFO increases production capabilities and broadens
Coveris’ portfolio in high-growth markets, including retort packaging, lidding films, bakery bags, medical packaging, and other non-food applications. The European CPP market is forecast to grow by around 3% annually,
with technical segments such as medical, retort, and lidding applications expected to grow by more than 4%, driven by sustainability goals and the shift away from non-recyclable materials. Coveris CEO Christian Kolarik said the acquisition strengthens the
company’s production network and enhances its ability to deliver innovative, sustainable packaging solutions that meet evolving customer and regulatory demands.
JUNE 2026 • KENNEDY’S CONFECTION • 7
Markem-Imaje expands software suite with new launch
Markem-Imaje, part of Dover and a global provider of end-to-end supply chain solutions and industrial marking and coding systems, has announced the launch of CoLOS® Software Version 7, expanding its software suite with new features designed for industrial organisations with multiple production facilities. CoLOS Version 7 builds on the strengths of earlier releases with enhanced automation and compliance, reinforced security layers, and more intuitive operations that increase efficiency and reduce errors. CoLOS Version 7 introduces industry-certified advanced security
features, centralised management for multi-site packaging operations, improved ability to minimise downtime, and a next generation responsive web user interface. A key highlight of the release is the new CoLOS multi-site feature, which
enables customers to centralise design, control and automate approval workflows for messages and labels in production, and optimise resources across global sites. The feature helps ensure consistency, compliance, and security with a single source of truth for all messages and label designs. It also allows comprehensive visibility into production efficiency and supports flexible scaling as operations expand. Product quality and security are priorities at Markem-Imaje.
CoLOS Version 7 is certified to the IEC 62443-4-2 cybersecurity standard for product components, enabling organizations to move production software systems to central IT infrastructure with added confidence. CoLOS Version 7 is available for use with the complete range of Markem-Imaje printers in both on-premises and cloud- based subscription models. CoLOS follows global standards for marking and coding including 1D/2D barcodes and compliant with newest GS1 Digital Link.
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