UPM Raflatac announces great progress toward a more circular economy for plastics and a future beyond fossils. This progress is detailed in the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment 2021 Progress Report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). As highlighted in the report, UPM Raflatac has continued to develop its SmartChoice™ and SmartCircle™ product ranges and increased the sales volumes of these products. SmartChoice label materials are designed to reduce material usage and promote the use of recycled content and renewable materials. SmartCircle label materials support packaging recyclability and reuse and so promote the circular economy. Reducing unnecessary plastic packaging is a priority for UPM Raflatac, and through raw material optimization, it has reduced more than 450 tonnes of plastic film raw materials. UPM Raflatac has signature products, e.g., PP Lite, that have a strong reduce element, but it is also applying the reduced principle to its standard films. In addition, the company supports the switch to renewable materials by enlarging and promoting its RAFNXT+ product range, as well as bio-based plastic product range.

Ball, Crown and Ardagh are navigating higher input costs and inflationary pressures as beverage customers prepare promotions related to the World Cup and America250 celebrations. Canmakers are tight on capacity amid positive signs in food, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage markets alike. While beer has been a lagging market in recent years, Anheuser-Busch, the world’s largest brewer, reported its first sales volume increase in three years during a first quarter earnings report. Meanwhile, non-alcoholic beverage giant Coca-Cola highlighted popularity of mini cans in convenience settings and the role of price pack architecture.

Mondi has collaborated with German machine supplier beck packautomaten to create a functional paper solution that has the potential to revolutionise eCommerce by replacing plastic packaging and creating right-sized packaging for a wide range of products. Mondi’s FunctionalBarrier Paper is 95% paper and features enhanced barrier properties to guarantee premium product protection against water vapour and moisture. This is essential for many products being shipped, including electronic goods. The paper is made with a higher strength, enabling it to carry heavier items without breakage. It is responsibly sourced, made of renewable materials and recyclable in existing recycling streams throughout Europe. Beck’s automated packing machine ensures that products of different sizes are packed according to their requirements. The machine measures the packed goods and calculates the paper needed, reducing excess usage of the material and thereby minimising waste and costs. Stable sealing of Mondi’s paper on all four sides of the packaging ensures that it meets logistics requirements and protects goods in transit - as successfully proven during tests in Mondi’s ISTA certified lab in its Bupak plant.