We are approaching the end of 2021, but it's not quite over yet!

We are approaching the end of 2021, but it's not quite over yet!

It was another crazy year full of great and small decisions, good and terribly bad decisions! Decisions that had a huge impact on others and decisions that were unnoticeable.

Of course, there are still decisions to be made! Certainly, I've learned a lot and I'm extremely excited about the upcoming chapter of my life. One of the biggest decisions I have made was to join this amazing company that perfectly encapsulates values that are so close to mine.

Packaging Europe is all about making connections – between packaging professionals, emerging innovations, evolving technologies, and the world in which all of this sits.

Forgive the pun: there’s a lot going on inside packaging. As an industry, we’re concerned with global issues, from the climate crisis to accessible design to changing political landscapes. And while consumers, companies, and governments look for ways to create a sustainable future, we’re aiming to provide content that helps to make those goals a little bit clearer and a little bit closer.

You can see from Packaging Europe’s most recent online stories that we’re bringing you news from some of the biggest players in the industry – from Coca-Cola’s plant-based bottle to P&G’s dedication to more accessible packaging to Dow and others’ advanced recycling initiatives.

What does this look like for the everyday consumer? We’ve also been covering moves made by supermarkets including Iceland, Tesco, Aldi, and Co-op to make their shelves more sustainable, often in collaboration with global partners like Unilever and Loop. Plus, we look at what impact policies like the EU’s ban on single-use plastics and the rollout of deposit return schemes are going to have.

But we’re also interested in the up-and-coming, what’s next for the industry and what conversations it’s important to start having. For example, we spoke to August about how they’re using packaging to make period care more inclusive and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) about why we need packaging that works for disabled consumers.

And finally, we care about the provenance of the packaging industry. We’ve worked closely with representatives from across the industry, including EuPC, Cepi, and HolyGrail 2.0, and partnered with companies like Smurfit Kappa and Avery Dennison during our Sustainable Packaging Summit, to bring you balanced coverage from the people who know the industry best.

We’re also providing more ways to engage with our content. You can find our webinars and podcasts on our website along with our magazine in print. And for a detailed look at some of the packaging’s key issues and innovations, there’s The Wider View and Touchpoints.

There are some exciting in-person opportunities coming soon, too. In May 2022, we’ll be bringing the physical part of our Sustainable Packaging Summit to Lisbon, and submissions for our Sustainability Awards will reopen in January 2022.

We hope to see you there!