Packaging innovations: 2 brands boost accessibility

Laundry detergent brand All and Carmine’s Italian foods introduced different solutions to assist users with accessibility challenges. Plus, DS Smith eases e-commerce returns and TriMas launches an all-plastic foaming pump.

By Katie Pyzyk • Jan. 17, 2025

Following market volatility, will OCC prices return to ‘normal’ in 2025?

OCC prices are down from recent highs in 2024. This plays into packaging producers’ bottom lines as they try to balance economic factors such as input costs and new capacity.

By Katie Pyzyk • Jan. 16, 2025

Retailers have made progress on phasing out harmful chemicals, nonprofits say

End-of-year reports from Toxic-Free Future and Clean Production Action analyzed how companies are addressing PFAS, PVC and other chemicals of concern in plastics, packaging and more.

By Maria Rachal • Jan. 16, 2025

Packaging innovations: Daily Harvest revamps for retail, Töst cans it

The companies explain the consumer-focused factors that prompted them to switch up their food and beverage packaging.

By Katie Pyzyk • Jan. 10, 2025

Alcohol regulators unlock new market opportunity for glass bottles

Changes to a dated rule this week mean certain alcoholic beverages sold in cans now have the option to be packaged in glass.

By Maria Rachal • Jan. 10, 2025

5 packaging industry trends to watch in 2025

Donald Trump’s return to the White House, evolving conditions for M&A, more mature state policy negotiations and a reckoning around 2025 plastics reduction targets are some of the factors poised to affect the industry.

By Maria Rachal , Katie Pyzyk , Cole Rosengren • Jan. 8, 2025

EPR for packaging laws: Dates to know

Keep track of milestones slated for 2025 and beyond in California, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota and Oregon, and catch up on recent developments in those and other states.

By Maria Rachal • Jan. 7, 2025

2024 packaging trends by the numbers

These are some of the stats illustrating key storylines this year in policy and regulation, M&A activity, manufacturing, pricing, recycling, sustainability goals and more.

By Katie Pyzyk , Maria Rachal • Dec. 20, 2024

Packaging innovations: KFC’s record-making lid, Greif’s mod containers

Plus, Ahlstrom launches paper tape and American Packaging Corp. adds a fiber-based material solution for pouches.

By Katie Pyzyk • Dec. 20, 2024

EPA to formally review vinyl chloride risks, may evaluate styrene

Regulators will consider whether high-priority chemicals, including a building block of PVC, present an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment under the Toxic Substances Control Act.

By Maria Rachal • Dec. 19, 2024

Federal budget proposal with $136M in recycling and composting bills stalls

The Recycling and Composting Accountability Act and Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Act were initially part of a deal to fund the federal government, but that plan has since been scrapped.

By Cole Rosengren • Updated Dec. 20, 2024

Amazon boosts recycled content, reduces inks for device packaging

In addition to the sustainability measures for Kindle, Echo and Fire TV products, the company added a tactile feature to aid consumers with visual impairments.

By Katie Pyzyk • Dec. 18, 2024

2025 containerboard outlook: Price increases, index exits and tariff threats

Trends such as price hikes are expected to carry over into the new year, along with the addition of new hot topics like tariffs, say analysts from RaboResearch and Bloomberg Intelligence.

By Katie Pyzyk • Dec. 17, 2024

Kansas county sues major plastic producers, alleging deceptive recycling messaging

A class-action lawsuit from Ford County, Kansas, alleges that the American Chemistry Council, Eastman, Chevron, ExxonMobil and LyondellBasell lied about plastic recycling efforts. ACC calls the allegations “meritless.”

By Megan Quinn • Dec. 3, 2024

Smurfit Westrock becomes latest to announce 2025 price increases

The company is pursuing price increases for corrugating medium and multiple other categories. It’s now at least the fourth company to announce January price increases in recent weeks.

By Cole Rosengren • Nov. 27, 2024

Packaging companies invest in design, training centers during November

UFP Packaging, TriMas, TransPak, Nefab and others announced openings and investments in innovation or training centers, touting benefits for design collaboration and upskilling.

By Maria Rachal • Nov. 27, 2024

International Paper, Georgia-Pacific try for 2025 fiber price increases

The news follows a recent announcement by Packaging Corporation of America and could mark a potential trend heading into the new year. The increases, which cover multiple categories, are set to take effect Jan. 1.

By Cole Rosengren • Nov. 25, 2024

How packaging producers performed in EMF’s 2024 progress report

This week’s Ellen MacArthur Foundation report comes as the plastics world anticipates the conclusion of key global negotiations. Here’s how North American signatories are faring on sustainable design in their portfolios.

By Maria Rachal • Nov. 21, 2024

Sourcing challenges, producer registration present some initial hurdles for recycled content laws

Washington state recently began enforcing certain recycled plastic requirements for brands’ containers. While many producers have cleared early thresholds, regulators say there’s more work to do.

By Maria Rachal • Nov. 18, 2024

Cardboard recycling rate plunges following AF&PA’s calculation revamp

The American Forest & Paper Association overhauled how it calculates and reports recycling data. The cardboard recycling rate is now closer to results from alternative methodologies, including Bloomberg Intelligence’s.

By Katie Pyzyk • Nov. 15, 2024

Trump’s tariffs: How manufacturers can prepare

Front-loading commodity imports could be a temporary solution, but diversified sourcing will be critical for the long term, experts say.

By Kate Magill • Nov. 14, 2024

Cans increased share again as overall beer shipments declined in 2023

The Beer Institute shed light on how the packaging mix for the sector is evolving. Executives at packaging companies including Ball, Crown and O-I Glass have weighed in on how beer trends are impacting their businesses.

By Maria Rachal • Nov. 11, 2024

Packaging innovations at Pack Expo 2024: Pactiv Evergreen cartons go dry, Packsize melts emissions

Plus, Accredo Packaging sweetens the pouch space with a 100% biobased bag, Greif shows off a recycled fiber food container with a water-based coating and Georgia-Pacific’s mailers get gusseted up.

By Katie Pyzyk , Maria Rachal • Nov. 8, 2024

Automation, labor shortage discussions permeate largest-ever Pack Expo

Sustainability also sat among the top themes at Pack Expo International in Chicago this week, including a focus on reusable and flexible packaging. PMMI says the event broke records for attendance and the number of exhibitors.

By Katie Pyzyk • Nov. 7, 2024

Southwest Airlines brings bamboo on board for new cups

The airline recently stirred up change when it began stocking the bamboo-based cold beverage cups and wooden stir sticks, following a yearlong R&D process stemming from plastic reduction goals. 

By Katie Pyzyk • Oct. 29, 2024