Innovation Stories

We are committed to developing new packaging solutions that meet the evolving needs of people and of our planet.

Catch up with these recent examples from our innovative pipeline of products.

By Category
Huhtamaki launches a first-to-market mono-material blister lidding 12 Sep 2022
12 Sep 2022

Huhtamaki launches a first-to-market mono-material blister lidding

In April 2022, Huhtamaki announced the launch of its Push Tab® blister lid, a first-to-market sustainable innovation for the global pharmaceutical and healthcare industry. Huhtamaki and its partner â...
Read more
Avery Dennison is improving the recyclability of food packaging 21 Jul 2022
21 Jul 2022

Avery Dennison is improving the recyclability of food packaging

Avery Dennison, in partnership with Jindal Films, is launching a PVDC-free OXYB (oxygen barrier) reclosure label that improves recyclability and minimises waste. Open-and-close packaging is often m...
Read more
Nestlé is closing the loop on flexible plastics 20 Jul 2022
20 Jul 2022

Nestlé is closing the loop on flexible plastics

Well-functioning cycles for hard plastics from packaging waste already exist, whereas the recycling of films still has a lot of catching up to do. In Germany, Nestlé has partnered up with Papier Mett...
Read more
Johnson & Johnson announces launch of recyclable refill cartons 19 Jul 2022
19 Jul 2022

Johnson & Johnson announces launch of recyclable refill cartons

As part of its new Healthy Lives Mission, Johnson & Johnson’s consumer brands are aiming to use 100% recyclable, reusable or compostable plastic packaging and certified/post-consumer recycled pa...
Read more
EUROPEN members join new consortium to develop artificial intelligence model for packaging waste sorting 12 Apr 2022
12 Apr 2022

EUROPEN members join new consortium to develop artificial intelligence model for packaging waste sorting

The Perfect Sorting Consortium will bring together EUROPEN members Danone, Colgate-Palmolive, Ferrero, Mars, Nestlé, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble on the one hand, and National Test Centre Circular P...
Read more
Unilever, Seda Packaging Group and Stora Enso join forces to develop new recyclable and compostable paperboard packaging 10 Feb 2022
10 Feb 2022

Unilever, Seda Packaging Group and Stora Enso join forces to develop new recyclable and compostable paperboard packaging

Unilever has introduced its Carte d’Or ice cream in a new paperboard packaging in Italy. The tub and lid are made from 100% PEFC certified renewable fibre with a biodegradable barrier coating, that...
Read more
Mondelēz International, FMCG industry and retail leaders join forces to boost flexible plastic recycling in UK 09 Feb 2022
09 Feb 2022

Mondelēz International, FMCG industry and retail leaders join forces to boost flexible plastic recycling in UK

Five of the UK’s largest branded manufacturers: Mars UK, Mondelēz International, Nestlé, PepsiCo and Unilever, have collaborated to form a £1 million fund to help make flexible plastic recycling...
Read more
Colgate-Palmolive is making the switch to recyclable toothpaste tubes 25 Jan 2022
25 Jan 2022

Colgate-Palmolive is making the switch to recyclable toothpaste tubes

Colgate-Palmolive is reimagining a healthier future for all people, their pets and our planet. To help fulfill its purpose, the company began in 2019 the switch to a first-of-its-kind recyclable tooth...
Read more
Amcor and Unilever create new recyclable packaging for dishwasher tablets 19 Jan 2022
19 Jan 2022

Amcor and Unilever create new recyclable packaging for dishwasher tablets

New packaging innovations are in great demand to improve the sustainability of everyday products. At the same time, consumers want the convenience of online shopping without compromising on their sust...
Read more
Ferrero introduces new thinner flexible materials with improved climate impact for Kinder Bueno 18 Jan 2022
18 Jan 2022

Ferrero introduces new thinner flexible materials with improved climate impact for Kinder Bueno

The Ferrero Group is making further strides in its commitment to making 100% of packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025. Part of this journey includes the introduction of a new thinner K...
Read more
L’Oréal introduces Garnier Ultra Doux Solid Shampoo to reduce primary packaging by 80% 22 Dec 2021
22 Dec 2021

L’Oréal introduces Garnier Ultra Doux Solid Shampoo to reduce primary packaging by 80%

L’Oréal has launched a sustainable innovation within its Garnier Ultra Doux line to achieve a significant reduction of its packaging use: the solid shampoo. Sold in a cardboard packaging, both r...
Read more
Industry-first virtual trials on lightweighting glass bottles 08 Dec 2021
08 Dec 2021

Industry-first virtual trials on lightweighting glass bottles

Ardagh Group has joined forces with two other industry leaders in sustainable solutions for the glass industry, Dassault Systèmes and EXXERGY, to collaborate on innovative technology to increase the...
Read more
Mars Wrigley launches mono-material M&M’s pouch 06 Dec 2021
06 Dec 2021

Mars Wrigley launches mono-material M&M’s pouch

Mars Wrigley is committed to reach its goal of 100% of its plastic packaging to be reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025. To advance towards that vision, Mars Wrigley France has launched a new p...
Read more
Senseo introduces the first industrial compostable coffee pad 06 Dec 2021
06 Dec 2021

Senseo introduces the first industrial compostable coffee pad

With the relaunch of one of JDE Peet’s flagship portfolio brands SENSEO®, they have created an innovative product offering, via a new sustainable single-serve coffee system on the market. The in...
Read more
Unilever is introducing recyclable toothpaste tubes 26 Nov 2021
26 Nov 2021

Unilever is introducing recyclable toothpaste tubes

To making oral care sustainable, Unilever’s oral care brands including Signal, Pepsodent and Closeup have announced plans to convert their entire global toothpaste portfolio to recyclable tubes by 2...
Read more
McCormick’s brand Schwartz moving to fully recyclable herbs and spice sachets 26 Nov 2021
26 Nov 2021

McCormick’s brand Schwartz moving to fully recyclable herbs and spice sachets

Herbs and spices brand Schwartz has moved its entire range of recipe mixes to recyclable packaging in the UK. Schwartz, which is owned by McCormick, began rolling out recyclable sachets in July 2021....
Read more
Ferrero joins forces with Loop and Carrefour to foster reuse 10 Jun 2021
10 Jun 2021

Ferrero joins forces with Loop and Carrefour to foster reuse

In its effort to optimise the use of its packaging, Ferrero has joined forces with Loop, a leading reuse platform, and Carrefour for a reuse pilot scheme in Paris, France. This initiative builds on Fe...
Read more
Did you know that making small packaging changes can make a big difference in recyclability? 18 May 2021
18 May 2021

Did you know that making small packaging changes can make a big difference in recyclability?

Johnson & Johnson Consumer Health is committed to developing products using fewer, smarter resources. As part of its Healthy Lives Mission, the company has committed to reducing plastic waste and...
Read more
Amcor and Nestlé launch world-first recyclable flexible pouch for wet pet food 19 Apr 2021
19 Apr 2021

Amcor and Nestlé launch world-first recyclable flexible pouch for wet pet food

Amcor and Nestlé have launched the world’s first recyclable flexible retort pouch for wet pet food which is being piloted in the Netherlands. The two companies partnered to overcome the challeng...
Read more
A label free, 100% recyclable, 100% recycled* bottle for a sustainable future 16 Apr 2021
16 Apr 2021

A label free, 100% recyclable, 100% recycled* bottle for a sustainable future

Danone has been committed to rethinking the packaging of their water bottles through their #WeActForWater Sustainability program which aims to deliver healthy hydration options, good for people, plane...
Read more
Actors across the supply chain join forces to recycle soft plastic collected from supermarket customers into new food-grade packaging 16 Apr 2021
16 Apr 2021

Actors across the supply chain join forces to recycle soft plastic collected from supermarket customers into new food-grade packaging

Plastic Energy, SABIC, EUROPEN’s member Sealed Air and Bradburys Cheese partnered with Tesco in the UK to introduce recycled food grade soft plastic packaging from materials returned by customers. I...
Read more
Pioneering digital watermarks for smart packaging to take recycling in the EU to new heights 16 Apr 2021
16 Apr 2021

Pioneering digital watermarks for smart packaging to take recycling in the EU to new heights

How a new technology pioneered across the value chain has the potential to drive circular economy goals Over 85 companies and organisations across the packaging value chain, including several EUROP...
Read more
Recycle the unrecyclable: breakthrough technology can transform low-quality plastic into high-quality food-grade packaging 15 Apr 2021
15 Apr 2021

Recycle the unrecyclable: breakthrough technology can transform low-quality plastic into high-quality food-grade packaging

In 2019 the Coca-Cola Company unveiled their first ever sample bottle made partly using 25% recovered and recycled marine litter, the first of its kind in food and drink packaging and a concrete proof...
Read more
The First Cosmetic Plastic Bottle Made from Industrial Carbon Emissions 15 Apr 2021
15 Apr 2021

The First Cosmetic Plastic Bottle Made from Industrial Carbon Emissions

Through their innovative partnership, LanzaTech, Total and L’Oréal have premiered the world’s first sustainable packaging made from captured and recycled carbon emissions. The three partners e...
Read more
Sustainable collation shrink films containing 50% post-consumer recycled content maintain performance 15 Apr 2021
15 Apr 2021

Sustainable collation shrink films containing 50% post-consumer recycled content maintain performance

ExxonMobil and Barbier collaborated to develop an innovative solution that allows the incorporation of Post-Consumer Recycled content (PCR) polyethylene in collation shrink films without compromising...
Read more
Mars Wrigley and Danimer Scientific innovative partnership to develop biodegradable packaging for home composting 13 Apr 2021
13 Apr 2021

Mars Wrigley and Danimer Scientific innovative partnership to develop biodegradable packaging for home composting

Mars Wrigley and Danimer Scientific, a leading developer and manufacturer of biodegradable materials, announced in March 2021 a partnership to develop an innovative home compostable packaging. Dani...
Read more
DS Smith and Signify work together to make shipping of LED lamps more sustainable to drive the transition to the circular economy 12 Apr 2021
12 Apr 2021

DS Smith and Signify work together to make shipping of LED lamps more sustainable to drive the transition to the circular economy

EUROPEN’s member DS Smith and lighting world leader Signify worked together to streamline the packaging process and make shipping of LED lamps more sustainable to drive the transition to the circula...
Read more
One country, one year – 78 tons less packaging waste: how JTI pioneered the industry with thin-walled fine cut tobacco buckets 12 Apr 2021
12 Apr 2021

One country, one year – 78 tons less packaging waste: how JTI pioneered the industry with thin-walled fine cut tobacco buckets

As a global business, Japan Tobacco International (JTI) is committed to play a key role in finding innovative ways to further reduce the environmental impact across their value chain. Not the least, a...
Read more