July 2024

As we step into July, we kick things off with the Plastic Free July challenge—an award-winning annual initiative by the Plastic Free Foundation, celebrated for its impactful contributions over the past 13 years. Stay tuned to our feed as we explore this campaign in detail later this week! Meanwhile, scroll down to catch up on the latest news from the packaging world in June, and be sure to mark your calendars for the exciting events coming up this July.

Happy reading!

Aldi Introduces paper bands to replace plastic for bananas. Aldi is pioneering a shift towards sustainability by trialing paper bands for bananas, projected to reduce their plastic usage by 234 tonnes annually. This initiative is part of a wider effort that includes transitioning to 100% recycled PET for beverage bottles and recyclable paper wraps for butter lines. Read more here.

Repak 's Plastic Pledge members set a new standard in recycling. Signatories achieved an average recycling rate of 72% in 2023, far surpassing EU Circular Economy targets. Highlights include Aldi’s fully recyclable handwash pump and Lidl’s redesign of pasta pot packaging, significantly reducing plastic use. These advancements underscore the commitment to sustainable packaging practices. Read more here.

Amazon takes a major step to reduce plastic use thanks to intense campaigning by Oceana. Amazon has replaced 95% of plastic air pillows in North America with recycled paper filler, avoiding nearly 15 billion plastic air pillows annually. This significant shift in packaging strategy is part of Amazon's broader effort to minimize plastic use across its North American operations. Oceana highlights this as a crucial move for ocean conservation and urges Amazon to continue its commitment to reducing single-use plastics globally. Read the press release on Oceana's website.

EXPO PACK México 2024 breaks records, elevates the packaging industry. As Latin America's largest packaging and processing event, it attracted nearly 20,000 attendees and 700 exhibitors this past June. The show highlighted groundbreaking technologies and fostered substantial industry networking. EXPO PACK served as a critical platform for innovating sustainable solutions and exploring cutting-edge advancements. t

Global giants struggle with plastic sustainability commitments. As You Sow 's latest report reveals that despite ambitious sustainability pledges, only 15% of major companies are on track to meet their plastic recyclability goals. The study emphasizes the urgent need for these companies to shift focus from merely recycling to significantly reducing overall plastic use to address environmental impacts effectively. To learn more, read the article on Grist, and download the 2024 Plastic Promises Scorecard from As You Sow.

July offers a lighter in-person event schedule, providing a perfect opportunity to prepare for the bustling months ahead. This month, we spotlight key gatherings that continue to shape the agri-food and packaging industries, including interactive workshops and strategic networking events. Take a moment to explore and sign-up for these events that promise valuable insights and connections. Be sure to mark your calendars and stay tuned for more dynamic events coming in August and September!

SECURFOOD PACKINNOVE EUROPE 2024 convenes key players for two days of strategic business meetings and insightful conferences focused on safety and CSR. Benefit from pre-scheduled, face-to-face sessions that are ideal for forging commercial partnerships and gaining strategic insights. This event provides a pivotal platform for networking, learning about the latest market trends, and discussing regulatory developments within the agri-food sector.

Tune in on LinkedIn for Packaging Europe’s Net Zero Strategy LIVE panel discussion. This session is part of the Sustainable Packaging Summit series, set against the backdrop of 2023's record-setting warm year. The panel will explore effective strategies to achieve net zero targets with insights from Talia Goldman of Colpac Ltd, Sophie Hammond of The Carbon Trust, and Agnieszka van Batavia from Constantia Flexibles. Engage directly through LinkedIn Live chat to discuss and drive sustainable change.

Dive into the latest insights from the reusable plastics landscape with the Reusable Plastics Packaging Seminar organized by the British Plastics Federation. Explore lifecycle assessments, European PPWR implications, and design strategies with experts like Wayne Barron from ThePackHub. Engage with case studies from Hubbub, Tesco, and others, learning how to leverage packaging data to meet sustainability goals.

Join Gillian Garside-Wight from Aura on July 18th for an Interactive Workshop: Unlocking Business Potential Through Packaging Data. Learn how to leverage packaging data from consumer marketing to legislative compliance and sustainability goals. The workshop will demonstrate using e-halo to harness live, accurate packaging data to transform your business operations. Attendees will explore the assessment of their current packaging data and discover strategies to unlock their potential and achieve sustainability objectives. Register today to shape your business with powerful data insights.

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