President’s Word

What is really important?

Pierre Pienaar*

Can one believe that 2021 is almost done? Where did this year go, and what a tumultuous year it has been for each of us individually as well as from an industry global perspective.

Each year that passes seems to have its own character. This past year certainly had its challenges, which greatly affected the WPO. As I look back over these past twelve months, I know that it has affected some more than others. Covid19 has taken its toll on us and our families across the world and continues to do so.  In this busy time of year, I encourage you to take a few minutes to count our blessings. We all have so much to be thankful for, including our associations, businesses, family and friends, to name a few.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their efforts in putting the WPO where it is, globally. I am particularly aware that the success of the WPO rests upon the valuable support of our global members and the hard work of the committees who so generously volunteer and give of their time. I take this opportunity to thank each of you for your wonderful support and dedication. A special mention has to go to the WPO Executive team.

Christmas is a time for reflection and a rejuvenation of hope for the future. May we always be ever mindful of the spirit of caring, sharing, love and generosity of the Christmas season, and do our best at all times as we seek to develop our organisation, improve the prosperity of our businesses and grow as individuals, contributing in whatever capacity for the benefit of our families and communities in each of our countries.

Regardless of your current level of involvement, I challenge you to become more engaged with the WPO next year. There is a direct correlation to the effectiveness of both the WPO and your national organisation, and how involved you are in the activities and networking opportunities provided by your respective organisations.

So while many of you will be taking a holiday, some short, for others longer. May I encourage you to take a few moments to relax, to step out of the fast lane, and to consider what is important. Our definition of importance will vary due to our backgrounds and lifestyle. For many of us, we consider three main categories to be important: family, faith, and community. Family and faith tend to be more private considerations; but we can all recognise the importance of community.

From our Board of Directors and all of us on the WPO Executive team, thank you for the opportunity and the honour of being the WPO president this past year. I look forward to 2022, with eagerness and great expectations. It is my sincere hope that you will all have a very Merry Christmas, a safe and joyous holiday season, and a Happy New Year.

*Pierre Pienaar is President of WPO

[email protected]
WPO – World Packaging Organization
pienaarpierre
@WorldPackOrg1

From the Editor

WPO launches the ‘Packaging Trends Report’ based in WorldStar 2021 winners

By Liliam Benzi*

I am glad to announce that the 2nd edition of WPO ‘Packaging Trends Report’ is ready for free download at WPO webpage (www.worldpackaging.org) or can be easily accessed through the link https://worldpackaging.org/resources/28/.

In the document, I could bring a comprehensive overview of global macro trends, based in Mintel and Euromonitor studies, as well as in the packaging trends for various sectors, according to what was detected in the winning packages of WorldStar 2021 edition.

According to Mintel´s study, it is important to pay attention to the following facts that are happening around the world:

• Technology is facilitating methods of verification, tracking and tracing that generate feelings of controling consumers, such as QR codes on packaging and wearables that provide personal health information.
• More brands attach functional benefit claims to their products, that can result in na overwhelming ingredient list. To mitigate this effect, simple packaging will help to communicate authenticity.
• Individualised products that are formulated based on consumer data and personalised features will give consumers authority over what they put into and onto their bodies.
• Financial uncertainty is leading to innovation in banking, with apps providing simpler and more accessible ways for consumers to control their money.

Readers will also find 04 key opportunities for brands to be explored through packaging:

• Understanding supply chains and what they mean in terms of ethics and ingredients is growing in importance through technology.
• Packaging can be the ‘moment of true’ with clear and simple messaging from brands.
• Consumers are aware of their digital footprints, prompting concerns over who has access to their data and how it is being used and packaging can help with privacy control.
• Brands that offer customised products, as well as those that test and track consumers’ changing physical states, offer more reassurance to consumers than the items they purchase and use will serve them.

The document also lists some recommendations to the packaging value chain, as a result of the trends noticed in the packages analysed to produce this ‘Packaging Trends Report’. And they are:

• responsability is the new sustainability;
• collaboration in sustainability + circular economy;
• understand the revolution in chaging packaging materials and the supply chain;
• be in e-commerce no matter what;
• packaging should trace consumers data;
• the future is digital + sensorial;
• protect what is good (food, nature and people);
• recycling + recycled content are together;
• consumer extended responsability is key;
• less story telling and more story doing results in story changing.

The ‘Packaging Trends Report’ takes into consideration almost two years since the beginning of Covid-19 pandemic and brings some packaging trends that should survive Covid-19 as:

• E-commerce package with focus in flexible plastic and corrugated packaging and the use of reusable labels; the packaging structures are environmentally correct and aligned with the more sustainable demands of new consumers.
• Minimalism Aesthetics continues being important in packaging, but the design is minimalist. Digital printing is more popular, specially in premium packages due to the possibility of customization.
• 100% recyclable materials Sustainability is still the big trend and companies should use 100% recyclable packaging materials.
• Smart packaging consolidates through resources as augmented reality (AR), cloud labeling, anti counterfeit and traceability technologies.
• Edible packaging will continue being developed through innovation based in solutions to reduce the consumption of packaging materials.

The document was officially presented to WPO members during the virtual Board Meeting on November 25.

*Liliam Benzi is WPO Press & Communication Liaison Officer and runs its own Communication & Strategy company for the packaging industry, LDB Comunicação Empresarial.

[email protected]
(+ 55 11) 99989-1597
liliambenzi
liliam-benzi-870b771a
Liliam Benzi

Message from General Secretary

I am really happy with the results of 2021!

Last issue of WPO News I’ve been enthusiastic because of a trade show “Fachpack”, I visited. Well, meanwhile I’m a bit back on ground: Covid numbers have been going up like hell here in Europe (not because of that trade show, its hygiene concept proofed to be good). Meanwhile numbers in Europe are going down again– vaccination works! So, I’m more realistic about Covid, we have to live with it for still some time. But deep inside I’m happy again. Really happy.

Met at least some few people of WPO two weeks ago in Düsseldorf! Our hygiene concept worked, too. And believe me, that feeling of having good (Not old! Ladies only in that group!) WPO friends by my side was just amazing! Gives power for your work! Makes sense. What I want to say (again): we will meet again. All of us. In person. One near day! It’s necessary, and it will be good!

But, not only feelings. Some facts, please:

According to the actual Covid-19 situation, our WPO Board Meeting in November 2021 was held virtual again. The WPO meeting started as planned on Monday, 22nd of November with the Executive Meeting. Our parallel working groups had good participation, and the webinar on packaging recycling in Indonesia and our new guideline for recycling was a big success. The World Star Judging, done on Wednesday, 24th of November, proofed the concept of Soha and her team of even growing this program as good. Our crowning finale on Thursday, 25th November was the WPO Board Meeting, where we welcomed a new and interesting member from Northern Ireland: CAFRE.

Behind the scenes, we did an important step. With my three colleagues from around the world (Iva, Czechia; Luciana, Brazil; Soha, Lebanon) WPO tested the format of a hybrid meeting. That means: some people are attending a meeting physically in a room, others are connected via zoom virtually. This needs some technical infrastructure in the meeting room. In Düsseldorf we learned, which camera and sound systems are necessary for such WPO meeting formats of the future.

Next meeting, by the way, will be held in Milan (Italy) alongside with IPACK-IMA tradeshow on 3-6.5.2022. Hope to see as many as possible of you there in person. But for all others, we are prepared to make you join our WPO meetings virtually again.

More news in a nutshell:

We did our first round of internal audits for the quality management (ISO 9001), thanks Kishan! It showed that we are doing well. But nevertheless, there is always room for improvement, so we identified and set measures to realize. E.g. in WPO Secretariat we are working on a new CRM database to manage membership, corporate partners and other WPO contacts more efficiently. We are just finalizing our change to a new email server. And, as discussed in the Board Meeting, we are planning to renew the WPO webpage again. – Good to see, WPO is active and improving in such crazy times.

Another reason to be happy, and I hope you have seen the lovely pictures on our WPO WhatsApp channel: Tanja gave birth to her lovely daughter Aurelia Alexandra Sophie on 24.11. - the day of WorldStar Judging! So, we have one winner more!! All the best for the young family!

Greetings from Vienna!

Enjoy the last days of 2021 and may all your wishes come true in 2022!

Ulla Hruschka & Barbara Zottl
WPO Secretariat
[email protected]

Johannes Bergmair
WPO General Secretary
[email protected]

Around the World

Training program on Paper & Paperboard Cartons in India

WPO member, SIES (School of Packaging - Packaging Technology Centre), from India, successfully organised a 3-day (Nov 18-20) intensive Training Program on Paper & Paperboard Cartons for micro and small business owners under Maharashtra State Industries Cluster Development Programme (MSI-CDP). There were 16 delegates and the cluster members were graduates from different fields and second generation of their business. The training covered advanced machinery and other related facility.

Participants were entrepreneurs, manufacturing different types of packaging boxes/cartons and printing. They currently use conventional machinery and are based in Solapur district of Maharashtra State. They had an overall experience of 10-15 years in this field. At the end, they agreeded that the learnings during the program would help to develop/update their micro/small printing and packaging businesses in the near future.

For more information, contact Prasad Balan Iyer, Director of SIES, by e-mail [email protected].

AIP releases findings from 2021 Salary Survey

WPO member the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP – www.aipack.com.au) have released key findings from the 2021 Salary Survey which is a first-of-its-kind for the Australasian Region. The report was developed in partnership with the IoPP (Institute of Packaging Professionals – www.iopp.org), also a WPO member, to provide a more detailed breakdown of the people who make up the industry including their roles, education, experience, career satisfaction, concerns and salaries.

Some of the key findings that stood out were how well-qualified packaging professionals are in our region with 46% of the total respondents having a Postgraduate Degree, how 34.20% have more than 20 years’ experience in the industry and how, even during a Pandemic 41.30 % were very secure in their job and 27.50% were somewhat secure.

According to AIP Education Director and WPO President, Pierre Pienaar, “the Australasian Region needs to see more people working in the packaging industry undertaking degrees such as the Diploma in Packaging Technology, the Certificate in Packaging, the Fundamentals in Packaging Technology and the Master of Food & Packaging Innovation. Having a degree in the science of packaging and understanding the fundamentals of packaging will go a long way in improving the overall knowledge and skill sets available to ensure that we do not have a technical knowledge void within the industry in the next 5-10 years.”

Some relevant insights from the Survey:

Experience

• 34.20% of the total respondents have more than 20 years’ experience in the packaging industry. This is an indication of longevity in the industry and stable careers.
• There is an increasing amount of people in the industry that have up to 10 years’ experience which shows that there is a continued opportunity for new comers to the industry to establish strong careers.

Education

• 46% of the total respondents have extremely high educational qualifications including Postgraduate Degrees.
• 21% of the total respondents have an Undergraduate Degree.

Job Function

• 25.20% of the total respondents indicated that they work in Packaging Technology/Design.
• This was followed closely by Marketing/Sales at 24.40%

Industry/Products

• 47% of the total respondents work in Food followed by 13% in the Beverage industry.
• 11% indicated that they work in packaging materials.

Career Satisfaction

What is the one thing that keeps you awake at night regarding job security?

• The impact of COVID-19 on my job
• Lockdowns & current working conditions
• Redundancy/Job & Business Insecurity
• My company not moving towards the 2025 National Packaging Targets
• Plastics Ban
• Negativity around packaging and plastics
• Lack of career progression
• High expectations and tight deadlines

Satisfaction with Job Security

• 41.30% of the total respondents are very secure with their job, while 27.50% are ‘somewhat secure’.

For more information, contact Nerida Kelton by e-mail [email protected].

Liderpack 2021 has 46 winners

The contest, organized by WPO member, Spanish Packaging Association of Graphispack Association (www.graphispack.org), with the support of Hispack exhibition (www.hispack.com), has awarded a total of 46 packaging. The best of the Liderpack 2021 awards were Estrella Damm pack and a Mumm Champagne POP display.

In this edition, 99 works from Spanish companies and schools, were presented. After evaluating each product, the jury awarded 22 prizes in the packaging speciality, 17 in the POS section, 06 in "Young Design" and 01 in the special category "new projects and innovation”.

Since 1995, Liderpack award is the most important in Spain in packaging and POS material. The award ceremony will take place within the framework of the Hispack 2022 that is scheduledd to May 18-21 at Fira de Barcelona's Gran Via venue. The last Hispack, held in 2018, joined 843 exhibitors representing more than 1,400 brands from 24 countries.

For more information visit www.premiosliderpack.org.

AIP President and Board Members become CPP's

AIP (Australian Institute of Packaging – www.aipack.com.au), a WPO member, is pleased to advise that its President (Jason Fields) and two Board Members (George Ganzenmuller and Kevin Truong) have become the latest CPP (Certified Packaging Professionals) for the Australasian Region. CPP designation is the leading mark of excellence internationally and a must-have recognition of industry proficiency and achievement for packaging professionals.

The CPP program is owned by the WPO member is USA, IoPP (Institute of Packaging Professionals – www.iopp.org) and is exclusively delivered through the AIP in Australasia; it is internationally recognised by WPO.

To find out how you can become a Certified Packaging Professional (CPP) in the Australasian Region visit http://aipack.com.au/education/certified-packaging-professional-cpp/ or contact Nerida Kelton by e-mail [email protected].

From the Board

WPO supports the creation of the first packaging award in Chile

On November 18, WPO member in Chile, CENEM (Centro de Envases y Embalajes de Chile – www.cenem.cl), launched the first edition of ‘Premios Viva Chile Packaging’ (www.vivachilepackaging.cl) which aims to recognize successful and innovative packaging ideas from the local industry ( https://youtu.be/wL4AKMvJbZ8). “The main focus is packaging that contribute to a more sustainable world”, states Mariana Soto Urzúa, General Manager of CENEM. And adds: “This Award creates incentives for innovation, technological development and creativity associated to packaging in Chile, focusing in circular economy, attractiveness in POS to consumers, safety and functionality, as well as innovation and use of new materials.”

It is also a recognition of the efforts of the Chilean packaging industry, suppliers and brand owners to differentiate brands through packaging. The awarded packages will be recognized not only in Chile, but around the world, thanks to the massive support of WPO, throughout its global packaging competition, WorldStar (www.worldstar.org). It is worth to remind that WorldStar coordinator, Soha Atallah, was one of the great supporters in creating this first and unique packaging competition in Chile.

Welcome to WPO!

During the hybrid Board Meeting on Nov 25, WPO welcomed CAFRE (College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise www.cafre.ac.uk), from Ireland, as its new Affiliate Member.

CAFRE is an integral part of the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. The college supports the agri-food sector through industry training, knowledge and technology transfer, benchmarking and business development planning. It also provides a range of short training programmes to their members.

WPO develops a ‘National Recycling Framework’ to Indonesia

In March 2020, WPO member, Packforce Austria (www.packforceaustria.at), appealed to the WPO to take the leadership in tackling the global packaging waste issue in a more practical and measurable way. “We agreed that much was being taught and spoken about on this global challenge, but there was a way to go still in the implementation of international standards and responsibilities”, remembers Pierre Pienaar, WPO President. The region chosen for a pilot program was Indonesia where it is evident that packaging waste is a major problem.

The first local body invited to be part of the project was another WPO member, Indonesian Packaging Federation (IPF www.packindo.org). Another key national player approached for this project, the Packaging and Recycling Association for Indonesia Sustainable Environment (PRAISE www.praiseindonesia.com). Through PRAISE, the program also counted with the commitment of international brand owners and packaging converters like Coca Cola, Nestle, Unilever, Danone, Indofood and Tetra Pak.

The result, after 18 months of weekly meetings, has been the implementation of ‘Indonesian Recycling Design Guidelines’, in October 2021. The project was handed over to the newly-created Indonesia Packaging Recovery Organization (IPRO www.indonesiapro.org).

The second outflow of the project is the formation and completion of the first edition of the ‘Packaging Design for Recycling Guide’, which the WPO delivered to all members on 4 October 2021.

On November 23, during the second meeting of 2021, WPO offered its members and key national players (manufacturers, recyclers, brand owners) an opportunity to know the project in details through a virtual and free webinar with the participation of the Indonesian stakeholders. At this occasion, participants discussed plans and actions to implement future packaging circular business model. The webinar can still be seen at WPO YouTube channel – https://youtube.com/c/WorldPackagingOrganisation.

Access WPO Board Meeting minutes now!

If you were not able to participate in the 106th WPO Board Meeting, that happened during WPO week (Nov 22-25), access all documents at the link: 

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/czyaxgv21z51bdm/AAAt4Rs2pTNwVwAEAIDZQG6Ca?dl=0.

And if you still have any doubt, contact General Secretary, Johannes Bergmair, by e-mail [email protected].

Next WPO Board Meetings agenda

Add to your agenda the next WPO meetings:

• 1st meeting 2022 – May 03-06 - Ipack Ima, Milan (Italy)
• 2nd meeting 2022 – October 12-14 – Tokyo Pack, Tokyo (Japan)
• 1st meeting 2023 – May 4-10 – Interpack, Düsseldorf (Germany)
• 2nd meeting 2023 - South Africa (date to be defined)
• 1st meeting 2024 – Argentina (date to be defined)
• 2nd meeting 2024 - India (date to be defined)

WPO and ECR release ‘Packaging Design for Recycling Guide’

A global ‘Packaging Design for Recycling Guide’ has been developed by ECR Community (Efficient Consumer Response – www.ecr-community.org), WPO and FH Campus University of Applied Sciences (www.fh-campuswien.ac.at), Austria, and is available for download in WPO webpage (www.worldpackaging.org).

Design for recycling is part of circular product design and represents an important basis for holistic sustainability assessment. Accordingly, circularity means that the packaging is designed in such a way that the highest possible recycling of the materials in use can be achieved. The goals are resource conservation, the longest possible service life, material-identical recycling (closed-loop recycling) or the use of renewable materials.

Circular packaging should therefore be designed and manufactured in such a way that it can be reused (reusable solution) and/or that the raw materials used can be reused to a large extent as secondary raw materials after the use phase (recycling) and/or consist of renewable raw materials.

In order to be able to apply recyclable packaging design, a certain fundamental knowledge of sorting and recycling processes is necessary. Packaging must, therefore, be suitable for state-of-the-art sorting and recycling processes in addition to its basic functions (e.g., storage, transport, product protection, product presentation and convenience).

The ‘Packaging Design for Recycling Guide’ is a starting point to understand Best Practice examples using state-of-the-art technology that can then be applied and tailored to suit the recovery and recyclability capabilities and infrastructure on a regional and local level. The guide can be applied to products from the Food, Near-Food and Non-Food segments and is applicable to all primary, secondary and tertiary packaging; provided that product-specific regulations of the packaging system are observed.

The guideline will be continuously updated and adapted to changes in collection, sorting and recycling technology, as well as to future material developments. The next step is to encourage all WPO members to not only use the tool but also work with the WPO to develop more localised versions that suit their countries and regions.

The project was coordinated by Nerida Kelton, WPO Vice President Sustainability & Save Food. For more information, contact Nerida by e-mail [email protected].

The ‘Packaging Design for Recycling Guide: A Global Recommendation of Circular Packaging Design’ can also be accessed through the link https://www.worldpackaging.org/resources/41/.

WPO ‘Packaging Design as a Tool in Consumer Marketing’ position paper is available

The recently launched document prepared by WPO Vice President Conferences, Exhibitions and Awards, Soha Atallah, shows that packaging is part of the marketing mix. Therefore, a well-designed packaging should perform the following marketing roles: capturing attention & differentiation; brand recognition; and communication.

Soha also gives 10 tips to design a successful packaging:

1. Study your market very well
2. Choose the right packaging material
3. Use it as one’s makeup
4. Color one’s package
5. Typography is key
6. Avoid drastic change
7. Know when to redesign your package
8. Invest in your packaging
9. Ensure compliance with labeling regulations
10. Make sure to follow global packaging trends.

To read the complete Position Paper, access https://lnkd.in/dDvEQVnp.

WorldStar

WorldStar and WorldStar Student register record of entries

During WPO virtual Board Meeting, on Nov 25, WorldStar Award (www.worldstar.org) coordinator, Soha Atallah, reported the 2022 edition registered a record of 440 entries in total and 240 winners, which means a 30% increase comparing to the previous edition.

During the meeting, participants also voted and approved the creation of 03 new categories: ‘Packaging Machinery’, ‘Digital Packaging’ and ‘Gift Packaging’.

They also voted for the creation of an additional Special Category, ‘Accessible Packaging Design’ and to remove the “Merit” status from WorldStar judging.

WorldStar Student (www.worldstarstudent.org) also had a record of entries - 297 – that means an increase of 36% compared to the previous year. The results will be published on January 24,2022.

WorldStar and WorldStar Student ceremony is planned to happen during IpackIma, in Milan, in May 2022.

Country Report

An active year for the Hungarian packaging industry

Special Article

Using intuitive and interactive packaging as a marketing tool

By Nerida Kelton*

I often find myself stopping to take pause when a random pack catches my eye as I am wandering down a supermarket aisle. Packs that stand out on shelf in a sea of similar shapes and materials tend to be ‘different’ in some way. The pack might be visually a brighter colour, a different shape, an usual size, or calls for consumer engagement. One such pack that caught my eye was the Monday haircare range from New Zealand. What made this pack stand out was the neutral pink tone that they selected and the shape of the bottle. The pack made me feel like it was a premium range at a supermarket price. I must confess that I bought a set, even though I do not use that shampoo brand, all because I loved the packaging.

Other packs that have stood out to me lately are those that create consumer engagement and invite you to become a part of their story.  

Looking at the broad range of finalists in the newly established Marketing Design of the Year category for the 2021 Australasian Packaging Innovation & Design (PIDA) Awards there are some innovative examples of how packaging can become one of the strongest and most important tools for marketing a product and the brand.

Packaging should be seen as an opportunity to create powerful and evoking messages with your consumers and to establish brand loyalty. This can incorporate the functionality of the pack, the aesthetic design and the outstanding visual appearance that makes the pack stand out on shelf, the premium and gifting style design, and/or unique and interactive communication tools on the pack.

Two unique and innovative examples within the Marketing category finalists are Cutri Fruit ‘Galaxy’ peaches and the KitKat ‘Recycle Me, Give the Planet A Break’ wrappers.

Cutri Fruit Galaxy Fruits ‘Saturn Peaches’ bring outer space to the aisles

When designing the Galaxy Fruits ‘Saturn Peaches’ packaging for Cutri Fruit, N.A.V.I Co Global ventured into new territory and created an intuitive and interactive consumer-facing brand. For over 40 years, Cutri has only supplied generic, unbranded produce to supermarkets and for the first time decided to formally introduce their own brand to consumers. Cutri wanted the packaging to provide a positive first impression that was unique and engaging for the customers, and also fit-for-purpose.

Cutri was looking for an out-of-this-world offering for their uniquely shaped peaches and wanted the packaging to create a point of difference on shelf.

The Galaxy Fruits ‘Saturn Peaches’ branding is family-friendly, using bright colours and eye-catching graphics, including interactive elements to build an emotional connection and ultimately pique interest and awareness of this new variety. Centred in the attention-grabbing design is a window to show off the unique flat, saturn-like peaches. The pack utilises interactive pop-outs to create collectibles and encourage repeat purchase. The window can be used as a projection screen and reused over and over by the children. Cutri wanted the interactive section to create activities for the children such as colouring in, to encourage creativity and mental stimulation.

The packaging created its own version of Augmented Reality with the mobile phone projector, bringing outer space into living rooms all over the country, and acting as a conduit for kids to learn about space, creativity and healthy eating.

Cutri incorporated a QR code on-pack for consumers to find out more about the Galaxy Fruits ‘Saturn Peaches’ and also used the packaging itself to include a variety of messages around the health benefits and origins.

KITKAT ‘Recycle me, Give the Planet A Break’ wrappers shift the recycling message to the front of pack

According to a recent survey undertaken by Nestle Australia 80% of Australians show a strong desire to recycle correctly, however almost 48% of the nation simply get it wrong and end up disposing of the packaging incorrectly.

To encourage and educate Australians to ‘Give the Planet a Break’ by recycling their soft plastics correctly, KitKat has made the bold move to temporarily replace its logo on the iconic four-finger milk chocolate bar with a call out to recycle in store.

The limited-edition bars feature a KitKat-inspired recycling symbol and an explicit call to action for everyone to actively drop off wrappers at REDcycle collection bins, located in most major Australian supermarkets.

What makes this pack stands out is that the design of the KITKAT wrapper artwork completely removes the KITKAT branding on the front of pack and replaces it with a mobius loop, a symbol which consumers associate with recycling.

The use of the mobius loop symbol takes up the front of pack, is eye-catching and delivers the message clearly to consumers about the importance of packaging that is recyclable.

The mobius loop symbol is accompanied by the tagline ‘Recycle me, give the planet a break’, which is also a play on words on the ‘Have a break, have a KITKAT’ tagline. This ties the Nestle KITKAT brand with their sustainability message and has a long-lasting impact on the consumer.

The front of pack design also includes an arrow pointing towards a bin which has the message ‘In-store drop off’ which informs and educates the consumers on the method of recycling soft plastics. The ‘Store drop off’ statement links to the Australasian Recycling Logo (ARL) instruction of going into a REDcycle participating retailers and dropping off soft plastic packaging in the collection bins.

On the shelf, the combinations of these front of pack designs can incite a sustainability message that consumers can quickly associate with, while at the same time giving informative messaging on recycling.

In the past, packaging sustainability messaging has typically been placed on the side or back of pack. The previous packaging artwork focused on the product or brand itself, and not on the recyclability of the packaging.

This new KITKAT design enables packaging sustainability to be the primary element of the packaging artwork, without taking away the consumer's ability to recognise the product. The core design elements of the KITKAT brand - the KITKAT red colour, the iconic shape, and the white oval background is still maintained. Consumers are therefore able to quickly associate the product with the same KITKAT they love. In addition, the mobius loop symbol is made using KITKAT fingers and further associates the product with the brand.

Next time you are wandering down the aisles keep an eye out for packs that stand out on shelf and invoke consumer engagement.  

*Nerida Kelton is Executive Director of AIP (Australian Institute of Packaging) and Vice President Sustainability & Save Food of WPO.

Special Article

Convert the Industrial Food Waste to Sustainable Food Packaging Materials

By Mohammed Sabbah and Asmaa Al-Asmar*

Today, we live in an era referred to as the "plastic age", and plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental concerns as plastic production increased to 448 million tons by 2015 from 2.3 million tons in 1950. Several factors contribute to today's world ecosystem's condition, such as excessive use of plastic, improper disposal, and lack of awareness. There is a growing awareness among people today of the harmful effects of plastic wastes in the environment. The replacement of traditional plastics with biodegradable materials (generally known as "bioplastics") may help with reducing the consumption and disposal of petrochemical-derived plastics. The enzymes present in different microorganisms can easily break down bioplastics, which seem to be an appealing eco-friendly alternative. Polypeptides (e.g. soy and whey proteins, collagen, gelatin) and numerous polysaccharides (e.g. cellulose, starch, chitosan, pectin) derived from plant or animal feedstocks have been the main biopolymers used to make these innovative biomaterials. [1].

In Palestine, we have recently discovered affordable and sustainable ways to create not only bioplastics but also edible films for coating or wrapping food. Films and coatings used in edible packaging are thin continuous layers of edible material formed on, placed on, or between the food or food component and which can be consumed and provides a barrier to moisture, oxygen, and solute movement. Due to the high potential used by the extracted oil, the industry of oil extraction is a huge sector in Palestine and worldwide. A study found that the leftover cakes after oil extraction contained about 50% recyclable proteins that could potentially be used to make biomaterials. Scientists have determined that defatted seeds cakes frequently contain high levels of polyphenols, and that these polyphenols may even act as antioxidants and antimicrobials during their use as food coatings or wrappings. Defatted seeds cakes derived from Nigella sativa are among many other oil industrial food wastes that are highly produced in Palestine. Our recent published results concluded that 10-50% glycerol [2], or 2-10% grape juice [3], can act as plasticizer for the Nigella sativa defatted protein concentrate film. Moreover the films obtained with grape juice showed higher antioxidant and antimicrobial activity.

Currently, our research group is working hard to find more feasible materials and additives that can be used in order to develop such promising food packaging materials. It is interesting to note that the obtained materials can be used in various fields.

• Producing biodegradable and compostable materials by using innovative additives that able to improve the bioplastics properties such as mechanical, permeability and workability.
• Improvement the self-life of fresh fruits, vegetable by coating or wrapping [4-5].
• Increasing the storage period for the fresh or processed meat and cheese [6].
• Applied to the surface of snack foods and crackers to serve as a base or adhesive for seasonings.
• Producing active and intelligent packaging.
• Reducing acrylamide and frying fat uptake for fried food [7-8].
• Delivery of food additives, antimicrobials and active ingredients to the food products.
• Pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors.
• Agriculture sector as mulching sheet or seedling trays.

In Palestine and worldwide, the commercial production of bioplastics, edible films or coatings faces many obstacles in order to be commercially successful. These barriers include financial support, laws and regulations that support production.

Authors

     M. Sabbah: https://staff.najah.edu/en/profiles/2641/

    A. Al-Asmar: https://staff.najah.edu/en/profiles/4517/

References

1. Porta, R.; Sabbah, M.; Di Pierro, P. (2020). Biopolymers as food packaging materials. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 21, 4942. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21144942.
2. Sabbah, M.; Altamimi, M.; Di Pierro, P.; Schiraldi, C.; Cammarota, M.; Porta, R. (2020). Black edible films from protein-containing defatted cake of Nigella sativa seeds. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 21, 832. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21030832.
3. Yaseen, D.; Sabbah, M.; Al-Asmar, A.; Altamimi, M.; Famiglietti, M.; Giosafatto, C.V.L.; Mariniello, L. (2021). Functionality of films from nigella sativa defatted seed cake proteins plasticized with grape juice: Use in wrapping sweet cherries. Coatings. 11, 1383. https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings11111383.
4. Al-Asmar, A.; Giosafatto, C.V.L.; Sabbah, M.; Sanchez, A.; Villalonga Santana, R.; Mariniello, L. (2020). Effect of mesoporous silica nanoparticles on the physicochemical properties of pectin packaging material for strawberry wrapping. Nanomaterials. 10, 52. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano10010052.
5. Al-Asmar, A.; Giosafatto, C.V.L.; Sabbah, M.; Sanchez, A.; Villalonga Santana, R.; Mariniello, L. (2020). Effect of mesoporous silica nanoparticles on the physicochemical properties of pectin packaging material for strawberry wrapping. Nanomaterials. 10, 52. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano10010052.
6. Sabbah, M.; Di Pierro, P.; Cammarota, M.; Dell’Olmo, E.; Arciello, A.; Porta, R. (2019). Development and properties of new chitosan-based films plasticized with spermidine and/or glycerol. Food Hydrocolloids, 87, 245–252. doi:10.1016/j.foodhyd.2018.08.008.
7. Al-Asmar, A.; Giosafatto, C.V.L.; Sabbah, M.; Mariniello, L. (2020). Hydrocolloid-based coatings with nanoparticles and transglutaminase crosslinker as innovative strategy to produce healthier fried kobbah. Foods. 9, 698. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9060698.
8. Al-Asmar, A.; Giosafatto, C.V.L.; Panzella, L.; Mariniello, L. (2019). The effect of transglutaminase to improve the quality of either traditional or pectin-coated falafel (fried Middle Eastern food). Coatings. 9, 331. https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings9050331.

*Mohammed Sabbah is from the Department of Nutrition and Food Technology, An-Najah National University. ([email protected] +972-567543732)

*Asmaa Al-Asmar is from An-Najah BioSciences Unit (NBU), An-Najah National University.

Special Report

The world of sustainability varies amongst WPO Members 

By Nerida Kelton*

45 Members of the World Packaging Organisation (WPO) Board recently came together – albeit virtually – to discuss what has been happening around the world in the last 6 months.

As a part of the Sustainability & Save Food Working Group meeting 18 countries including the EU, Finland, Austria, Japan, Indonesia, Philippines, France, Spain, Italy, Turkey, India, Argentina, Australia & New Zealand, Kenya, the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Brazil showcased some of the key initiatives, regulatory updates and programs that are afoot in their country or region.

Whilst the common thread across all countries is a shift towards a more circular economy and the move to design out waste and pollution, every region and country naturally differs in approach.

It is encouraging to see that more Governments are establishing regulations, levies and pledges to achieve circularity, reduce problematic materials and unnecessary packaging and lower environmental impacts through circular and sustainable design.

The standout discussions focussed on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), Eco-Modulation, Deposit Return Schemes, Plastic Pacts, Single Use Plastic regulations, the European Green Deal, Certified Compostable Packaging and On-Pack Labelling programs.

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging is gaining global attention and adoption. This brings to the forefront the need to harmonise EPR across diverse regions, especially given the global interconnectedness of the economy and consumer packaged goods markets. There are many different approaches to the strategy, and many go beyond providing for end-of-life services to promote responsible product design, infrastructure improvements and market development. Effective EPR is often seen as a necessary piece of the puzzle in addressing the current recycling challenges and concern over single-use packaging waste.

Many WPO Member countries are following an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) practice and policy approach whereby the physical and/or financial responsibility for end-of-life disposal rests with the producers.

EPR schemes aim to encourage producers to change design at the start to ensure that the materials and packaging are truly recyclable and recovered at end of life.

The intergovernmental Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) definition of Extended Producer Responsibility identifies two specific features: the shifting of responsibility for disposal ‘upstream’ from municipalities to producers and encouragement through incentives to make the design of products more environmentally friendly.

Within the European Union (EU) there are different national frameworks for EPR schemes that must be considered. In countries where informal workers or collectors are reclaiming the recyclables such as in the Philippines, Brazil, Thailand, Indonesia there is more work to be done in bringing all parties across the value chain together to ultimately improve the production capacity, increase the value of the materials collected, implement quality control processes for the workers, build the infrastructure to support end markets for the materials recovered and to ensure that the packaging is not ending up in landfill sites and waterways.

Brazil has a commitment to reduce emissions by 43% by 2030 and is seeking support to develop a sustainable green bond market. Green Bonds must have a positive environmental impact and governments and companies use the securities to finance sustainability projects such as renewable energy, sustainable water management, pollution prevention, green buildings and more.   

Eco-Modulation

In Europe particularly there is a move within Governments and Product Stewardship/EPR schemes to Eco-Modulation. So, what is Eco-Modulation? In the simplest of terms, it is a program that penalises the producers of problematic materials and difficult to recycle packaging and it provides incentives for materials that are recyclable and recoverable.

The UK Environment Bill enables eco-modulated fees, the CONAI scheme in Italy includes economic incentives and fee modulation and Germany is looking to launch the program in 2022. Eco-modulation is another piece of the puzzle for many countries.

Deposit Return/Container Deposit Schemes

The introduction of more Deposit Return/Container Deposit Schemes around the world is a recognition that they play an important role for collection and recycling of beverage containers such as bottles and cans. Deposit Return Schemes enable consumers to be incentivised to recycle for an economic gain and to improve collection rates.

A Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) essentially focuses on the ‘polluter pays’ principle, where beverage suppliers are responsible for funding a refund for returned drink containers. If someone discards an empty container, they forfeit the right to the refund and someone else will benefit by picking it up and collecting the refund.

These schemes are also an example of product stewardship legislation in which the beverage industry takes greater responsibility for its packaging after it has been sold. Beverage suppliers must ensure that a system is in place for the recovery and recycling of their empty beverage containers.

Eligible containers are taken to a collection depot or placed in a reverse vending machine to reclaim money for their drink container.

What are the benefits? Deposit Return Schemes provide a financial incentive to reduce litter, lead to cleaner beaches, waterways, parks and streets, and mean fewer recyclable materials are sent to landfill.

Across the United Kingdom (UK), consumers go through an estimated 14 billion plastic drinks bottles, 9 billion drinks cans and 5 billion glass bottles a year. The UK Government for England, the Welsh Government and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland have all made commitments to develop policy which work towards achieving these aims, not least through the development of producer responsibility proposals.

Introducing a Deposit Return Scheme forms a key part of these proposals, and has been committed to in various publications by the UK Government for England, the Welsh Government and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland, including the manifesto on which the current UK Government was elected, the Resources and Waste Strategy for England, the Welsh Government’s Beyond Recycling, A strategy to make a circular economy in Wales a reality, and Northern Ireland’s Waste Prevention Plan.

In Australia every state or territory has now announced, or put in place, a Container Deposit Scheme.

In Nigeria RecyclePoints has developed the foremost waste recycling and social benefit venture in the country that motivates consumers to recycle by creating value from their everyday waste. RecyclePoints have a point-based incentive model where consumers can collect Pure Water Sachets, PET Plastic Bottles, Used Beverage Cans, Glass bottles, Old Newspapers and Brown Corrugated Cartons from registered partners. In return consumers are rewarded with points, which when accrued, can be redeemed for household items and cash.

Austria has a three-point plan against plastic that includes 1. the increase in recycled content for beverage containers, 2. Single Use Deposit schemes for plastic bottles and cans and 3. A manufacturer levy for plastic packaging with the ‘polluter pays’ principle and eco-modulation. Important measures in the next few years include the banning of oxo-degradable materials by 2021, Eco-Modulation by 2023, the fastening of caps and lids on all plastic beverage bottles by 2024, 25% recycled content in PET bottles and a single-use deposit system by 2025, achieving a 90% collection rate of all single-use plastics beverage bottle by 2029 and 30% reusable share for beverages by 2030.

Rome, Italy has seen 5 million plastic bottles recycled in exchange for bus tickets after the mayor Virginia Raggi introduced 'plastic-eating' machines in metro stations two years ago. Under the scheme, commuters who recycle plastic bottles at metro stations can accumulate credits for the purchase of bus and metro tickets through transport apps. There are now 8 subway stations with this program and commuters receive a credit of five cents for each plastic bottle, meaning if they recycle 30 bottles, they receive a free €1.50 ticket.

In the Philippines Coca-Cola recently signed an MOU with the City of Manila for plastic bottle collection and recycling. All clear PET plastic bottles, regardless of brand or manufacturer, that are deposited in contour bottle bins will be collected by Manila’s Department of Public Services and then transported by CCBPI to its PETValue recycling facility in Gen. Trias, Cavite. PETValue Philippines — a partnership between Coca-Cola and Indorama Ventures, a global leader in green tech and packaging solutions — is the country’s first, state-of-the-art, bottle-to-bottle, food-grade recycling facility.

Brazil is working on driving regulation on Chemical Recycling for food grade materials and the first two national chemical recycling facilities will be launched in 2022/23 by the private sector.

Ellen Macarthur Foundation Plastics Pact Network

The ever-expanding Ellen MacArthur Foundation Plastic Pact Network connects national and regional initiatives around the world to implement solutions towards a circular economy for plastic.

Each Plastics Pact is led by a local organisation and brings together businesses, governments, NGO’s and others in a specific nation or region behind a set of 2025 plastics circular economy targets, with annual public reporting on progress, to:

• Eliminate unnecessary and problematic plastic packaging through redesign and innovation.
• Move from single use to reuse where relevant.
• Ensure all plastic packaging is reusable, recyclable, or compostable.
• Increase the reuse, collection, and recycling or composting of plastic packaging.
• Increase recycled content in plastic packaging.

As an international challenge, Plastics Pacts address the transnational nature of the issues related to managing plastic by providing a consistent approach for global supply chains dealing with plastic waste travelling across our borders, moving from a linear approach to a circular economy for plastic, in which it never becomes waste or pollution.

There are currently 10 National Plastic Pacts in the world including: Canada, Chile, France, Kenya, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, United Kingdom and the United States of America.

There are also two Regional Plastic Pacts: ANZPAC Plastic Pact and the European Plastics Pact. ANZPAC, covering Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, is the first in the Oceania region.

The India Plastic Pact, which was collaboratively developed by WWF India and the Confederation of Indian Industry, was also launched in September. India has identified that they generate around 25,940 tonnes of plastic waste per day and 9.46 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with 40% of the plastics uncollected and 43% all plastics produced are single use. The India Plastic Pact is a collaborative approach to reduce the problematic materials used in the country, reuse and recycle valuable materials for use in other products, keep materials in the value chain for as long as possible and to generate jobs and opportunities.  

Single Use Plastic (SUP) Regulations

40% of plastic that is produced globally is classified as Single Use where it is used once and sadly discarded. Governments around the world are trying to change the trajectory by establishing SUP regulations and directives. SUP regulations and bans was certainly a hot topic on most of the WPO country reports.

The reality is that consumers no longer want to see any packaging placed on to the market that is used only once and then thrown away. Key items on most of the SUP banned lists include plastics bags, cutlery, straws, plates, stirrers, cotton buds, take-away containers, coffee cups and plastic water bottles.

The European Union (EU) SUP Directive was established reduce the environmental impact of certain plastic products to tackle and prevent marine litter. The directive aims to reduce consumption of SUP, encourage consumers to move toward reusable solutions and to establish higher collection rates and EPR schemes.

India has established an SUP regulation to phase out all problematic materials and packaging by 2022. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has introduced a new set of guidelines - Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021. This will replace the existing Plastic Waste Management Rule, 2016 (PWM Rules, 2016) that was amended in 2018.

Spain is set to ban the sale of fruit and vegetables in plastic from 2023. This is one of the measures in a decree being drafted by the Ministry for Ecological Transition. The new regulation also contains measures to encourage the purchase of loose, unpackaged produce and purchase of non-bottled water. One of the main goals of the draft decree is to reduce the sale of plastic bottles for drinks by half by 2030, and for 100% of packaging on the market to be recyclable. The ban on fruit and vegetable packaging will apply to produce weighing under 1.5 kilograms, following similar legislation in France, which will go into effect in 2022.

France will ban the use of plastic packaging on around 30 fruit and vegetables from January 2022 to reduce the amount of problematic Single Use Plastic used in the country. The country identified that approximately 37% of fruit and vegetables are currently sold in plastic packaging and the ban will commence in 2022 covering a wide range of fresh produce. The government aims to reduce SUP by 20% by 2025. They will ban the use of plastic packaging on 30 fruit and vegetables from January 2022 and the new measure will eliminate around 1 billion unnecessary plastic packages. From January 2023, France will also ban throwaway crockery in fast-food restaurant for meals consumed on-site.

In Australia all states and territories have committed to SUP bans, with some enacted and others being launched in 2022/23. The Federal Government has also identified eight plastics for industry to phase out nationally by 2025 under the National Waste Policy Action Plan. These include lightweight plastic bags, oxo-degradable materials, straws, utensils, EPS consumer food containers, EPS loose fill and moulded packaging, microbeads in health care products. The Commonwealth Government has also committed to oversee a phase out of PVC packaging labels by end of 2022.

The WPO working group discussed the need for a more collaborative and harmonised approach for the nominated banned materials and SUP across the globe. In places such as Europe and Australia there are differing regulations between regions and states, which presents barriers for brands who sell into multiple markets. Another concern is that alternative material and packaging choices may potentially contaminate recycling streams and may not have a lower environmental impact. A balanced science-driven approach is needed when establishing SUP regulations and requires packaging technologists and engineers and polymer scientists to be involved in the discussions.

Certified Compostable Packaging

While there is growing industry and consumer interest in the utilisation of compostable plastic packaging, there is also considerable confusion and misinformation in the market about materials labelled ‘compostable’, ‘degradable’ or ‘biodegradable’, and the correct disposal methods for these materials.

A claim of compostability should only be made if the packaging is certified to one of the relevant Standards and there is a system in place to recover it.  The industry agrees that the terms ‘degradable’ and ‘biodegradable’ should be avoided and that only certified compostable logos that indicate compliance with country-specific standards, should be displayed on packaging. Any terms that are deemed as ‘greenwashing’, or misleading for consumers should be removed.

There is an agreed approach that only certified compostable packaging that is certified in the country in which it is sold should be placed on the market.

European Green Deal

Within the European Union (EU) there is currently no law in place applying to bio-based, biodegradable and compostable plastics in a comprehensive manner. Therefore, in the European Green Deal and new circular economy action plan, the European Commission announced a policy framework on the sourcing, labelling and use of bio-based plastics, and the use of biodegradable and compostable plastics.

The Commission will assess where the use of bio-based feedstock leads to genuine environmental benefits, and not only reduces the use of fossil resources. It will also determine where using biodegradable and compostable plastics can be beneficial to the environment, and the criteria for these uses.

In Austria the government has developed a 2020-2024 Green Deal which will target the promotion of the Circular Economy, waste avoidance, the legal framework to promote innovative resource management, expansion of reusable systems with a focus on beverage packaging, packages of measures for the use of secondary raw materials including packaging, industry and building materials.

On-Pack Labelling Program for Correct Disposal of Packaging

We are seeing more countries introducing On-Pack Labelling Programs such as How2Recycle in the United States of America, the Australasian Recycling Labelling program (ARL) in Australia and New Zealand and the On-Pack Recycling Label (OPRL) program in the United Kingdom. On-Pack labelling programs are evidence-based, standardised labelling systems designed to provide packaging designers and technologists and brand owners with the tools to inform responsible packaging design. On-Pack Labelling Programs are also to aid consumers to correctly dispose of packaging and the separable components in the right bin.

On-Pack Labelling Programs will assist waste reduction by:

• Delivering a clear, well understood label that will provide greater clarity about what packaging can be recycled.
• Helping brands to design packaging that is easier to recycle.
• Supporting businesses to inform consumers about the recyclability of their packaging.
• Increasing the recovery of recyclable materials and reducing contamination in the waste stream.

The European Union (EU) is also working on a harmonised model for consumer sorting instructions and how this should be implemented in a uniform way. EUROPEN is working with AIM (European Brands Association) and FoodDrinkEurope to develop a common position on an EU model for consumers sorting instructions for packaging waste. The objective is to establish a harmonised system in the EU that will provide consumers with understandable and clear sorting instructions for packaging waste. The instructions will improve collection rates and achieve packaging recycling targets. The practical approach is to match the product identification symbol placed on packaging, with symbols on waste bins, and bins used by waste management/operators and municipalities so that the system is easy for consumers to use.

Join in Nordic co-operation

The pictogram system was developed by Denmark and then introduced to Sweden, Finland, Norwegian and Iceland municipalities.  In Finland the Ministry of the Environment is entering a national waste plan on the list of measures in the pictogram system. It will be interesting to see the roll out of this program in the region and see the uptake from consumers.

The WPO Sustainability working group discussions have shown that the world of Sustainability is ever-changing, dynamic and there is so much to learn from other countries.  No country has all of the answers and it is clear that a collaborative approach to global discussions around circular and sustainable packaging design are paramount.

Through the WPO, members have the opportunity to learn from each other, take elements from other country initiatives and apply locally, or help guide new members establish programs for their region. The true value of the WPO is knowledge-sharing and global harmonised collaboration across the members.

I look forward to reporting on the WPO Members Sustainability & Save Food inititiaves in May 2022 as I have no doubt there will be many new, innovative and exciting programs to discuss.  

*Nerida Kelton is WPO Vice President Sustainability & Save Food [email protected].

Special Report

WPO at Expo 2020 Dubai 

Luciana Pellegrino and Soha Atallah, both WPO Vice Presidents, visited Expo 2020 Dubai (www.expo2020dubai.com) to assess and understand how 192 nations foresee their vision for the future. The Expo starts highlighting how humanity got to the actual stage and what is key to foster global progress and to allow access and unlock social growth. The main topics are:

• sustainability and the need to have a circular economy;
• smart technology for greater mobility, connectivity and expansion;
• clean technologies as top priority;
• social equality and women empowerment, inclusion, diversity, opportunities, and cognitive intelligence.

Another important question is: which is the path for a more sustainable consumption chain? Expo Dubai called attention to consumerism, to the impact of people´s decisions and the challenge to change habits and give up convenience, but the show did not propose better alternatives and future perspectives.

It was clear from Expo’s Sustainability Pavilion that there is a limited understanding on the important role of packaging and they are only focusing on the negative aspect of packaging waste and how it is disposed in landfills and natures. However, countries like Finland and Austria showcased sustainable packaging cases.

From the the private sector, Lays displayed its recycling program. In general, the packaging industry needs to strengthen its presence and message in the media to show the importance of packaging in avoiding waste and to highlight the sustainable packaging innovations taking place.

When the information is not there, it becomes an information by itself: the packaging industry is not getting its message out there. As a challenge, WPO and national packaging bodies have a key role to play that is to raise awareness on the efforts employed so far to foster recycling technologies. It is also important to make a call for collaboration from the  public sector to improve waste management infrastructure and boost recycling programs all over the globe, counting with consumers engament, brands commitment to use recycled materials and innovative materials, and circular solutions.

Besides the visit to ExpoDubai, Luciana and Soha had interesting meetings with Dubai Chamber and with the Emirates Environmental Group EEG. For 30 years, EEG is leading nationally sustainability and recycling programs, engaging brands, packaging industries, universities and students, with government recognition. All inspiring projects to foster circularity and education and to empower new leaders.

During the meetings, the membership of UAE (United Arab Emirates) in WPO was discussed and their participation in WorldStar Awards. The meeting also highlighted WPO activities in education, save food and the role of WPO in increasing awareness about sustainable packaging.

For more information contact Luciana Pellegrino ([email protected]) or Soha Atallah ([email protected]).