Nestlé has announced its ambition to make 100% of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025.  Its vision is that none of its packaging, including plastics, ends up in landfill or as litter. Nestlé believes that there is an urgent need to minimise the impact of packaging on the environment.

Smurfit Kappa is installing the new HP PageWide C500 digital press – HP’s most technologically advanced digital press for corrugated application. The press will be installed in Smurfit Kappa’s Interwell plant in Austria, and is designed for greater customisation and flexibility of corrugated printing, the new industrial-scale press will be the first commercial HP single pass press in Europe. The press will be installed in April and will support Smurfit Kappa’s extensive customer base in the FMCG sector. With a fully integrated stack-to-stack workflow, the press combines digital simplicity with off-set replaceable print quality on both coated and uncoated paper.…

Unilever has announced a partnership to pioneer a new technology which converts PET waste back into virgin grade material for use in food packaging.

Iceland Foods has launched two new major product ranges for the ready meals market packed in Stora Enso paperboard trays.  With its 900 stores, Iceland Foods accounts for 30% of frozen ready meal sales in the UK, and the business is growing.

Jan 20, 2018  -  Tetra Pak has pledged to support the European Commission’s Plastics Strategy, announced this week as part of the EU Action Plan for a Circular Economy.  The carton giant said it will work with industry partners to ensure that by 2030, recycling solutions are in place for all components of beverage cartons so they can be fully recycled across Europe.

Jan 18, 2018  -  More Tongan fresh produce will be exported to international markets with the opening of new pack houses in Tonga.  This should make a big difference to farmers who will be able to sell their crops and other products for export to New Zealand, said Edgar Cocker, CEO of Tonga’s Ministry Commerce, Trade, Innovation and Labour.

Nov 23, 2017  -  The Packaging Council of New Zealand is launching a new annual Scholarship program, in conjunction with the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP), that will enable one packaging technologist, designer or engineer in New Zealand the opportunity to complete a Diploma in Packaging Technology to the value of $9,000. “The association is extremely proud to be able to offer the scholarship to a New Zealand packaging professional each year,” commented Harry Burkhardt, President of the Packaging Council of New Zealand. “The packaging industry is dynamic and diverse, offering career opportunities across a wide scope of disciplines. PAC.NZ…

Hilton Food Group plc (“Hilton”), the leading specialist international meat packing business, is pleased to announce it is to proceed with plans to expand its packing capability to New Zealand. Hilton will construct a new meat processing facility in Auckland and supply Progressive Enterprises Ltd (“Progressive”), New Zealand’s leading retailer, trading as Countdown Supermarkets. As Progressive Enterprises LTD is also part of the Woolworths Ltd this development further strengthens Hilton’s existing relationship with Woolworths Ltd. The development will take place as an extension of the existing site, and is subject to government approvals and the negotiation and finalisation of construction…

Packaging Innovations London 2017 | London event sees big names and record visitors With over 4,300 visitors in attendance over the two days, Packaging Innovations and Luxury Packaging London 2017 was the most successful edition to date.Busy Aisle Unilever, Bulgari, Innocent, ASDA, Superdrug, The Body Shop, Chanel, Heineken, Harrods, Dyson and Mars were just some of the major names at the show, as well as leading entrepreneurs Peter Jones from Dragon’s Den and Made in Chelsea’s Francis Boulle. Over 4,300 visitors attended over the two days viewing products and services from 180 leading exhibitors and taking in more than 18…

ASX-listed Pro-Pac Packaging, chaired by former Australia Post boss Ahmed Fahour, has announced a $177.5 million merger deal with flexible packager Integrated Packaging Group (IPG). ‘Significant milestone’: Pro-Pac chairman Ahmed Fahour “The acquisition of IPG represents a significant milestone in the realization of Pro-Pac’s vision to become the preeminent flexible and industrial packaging manufacturer and distributor in Australia,” said Fahour. “The opportunity to combine two very complementary businesses will deliver significant long-term value to Pro-Pac shareholders.” The combined business will have annual sales of more than $450 million. The merger will be funded through a combination of $60 million Pro-Pac…

One of the most common frustrations during packing of bags is the time consumed by the labeling system. Changing tape, tickets or ribbons means halting the process while another tape or ticket roll is being loaded. This leads to unnecessary delay, accumulation of costs per bag and increases in lead time. Furthermore, the tape or tickets attached to the bag can easily tear off or be removed and can fade when subjected to sun light, causing logistical problems and loss of identification. Depending on the number of customers and products being packed, storage of all the different tape and tickets…

More than 90% of Britons want supermarkets to introduce an aisle free of plastic packaging in stores.Plastic free aisle Environmental campaign group A Plastic Planet commissioned a Populus survey of 2,000 UK adults. Respondents were asked if they support or oppose the introduction of a supermarket aisle that features only products that are free of plastic packaging, with 91% saying they supported it. Additionally, 81% of those surveyed said that they were concerned ‘about the amount of plastic packaging that is thrown away in the UK’. Support for a supermarket aisle featuring only goods not wrapped in plastic packaging was…

An exclusive report in Packaging News reveals that UK supermarket icon,  Sainsbury’s,  is to undertake a “root and branch” review of its procurement processes for the sourcing of own-brand packaging. The supermarket giant revealed to Packaging News that the initiative will evaluate the supply chain and identify a set of preferred suppliers meeting Sainsbury’s standards and specifications for quality, value and service. Speaking exclusively to Packaging News, Chris Grobler, packaging commercial manager at Sainsbury’s, said: “Closing the loop between the best packaging suppliers, our Sainsbury’s brand suppliers and ourselves will create a strategic, efficient and cost-effective way to procure our…

Brewing giant Carlsberg is setting itself ambitious targets to achieve zero carbon emissions at its breweries by 2030.The announcement follows the company’s plans to roll out ‘Green Fibre’ bottles by 2018. The bottles are designed to degrade into “environmentally non-harmful materials”. Carlsberg has now said that it will eliminate carbon emissions from breweries by 2030 through “greater use of renewables”. It also wants to reduce “beer-in-hand” emissions for consumers globally by 30% by 2030 by “engaging with partners along the value chain”. Cees ‘t Hart, chief executive of the Carlsberg Group, said: “We’re committed to delivering zero carbon emissions and…