ORGANISERS of Packaging Innovations & Empack have hailed the event for continuing to ‘push industry expectations’ after the two-day exhibition came to a close.
Day Two at the NEC in Birmingham highlighted further evidence of PackUK’s role in delivering pEPR. Mary Creagh MP, minister for nature, DEFRA, chaired a panel of value chain representatives, who detailed their aspirations for the scheme and how collaboration will be essential in its delivery. While covering the implications of pEPR and fielding questions from a packed auditorium, the need for greater involvement from all stakeholders and close collaboration to ensure effective delivery emerged.
Mary Creagh said, “We are in the middle of a very big system change. We are starting on this journey together with goodwill and everyone wanting to do the right thing. There is the opportunity for all of you to pitch in with your ideas, intelligence, experience, and knowledge. We want to make sure Britain is open for business, that we are doing the right thing, and that we are working together, pulling in the same direction to deliver what will be transformational social change. It is a really exciting project to be part of.”
Stefan Casey, head of ecosystem at SharpEnd/io.tt, chaired a panel on smart packaging, offering predictions and insights. He said, “There’s so much more that digital and physical solutions can give us. Technology is changing the profile of packaging. We’ve got to be real – AI will take over jobs. We really need to start thinking differently across every single touchpoint across the supply chain. It’s really important that we address packaging head on and everything around today from a customer perspective, from a consumer perspective, and from a business perspective.”
Swisspack Europe’s FORMIL refill spout pouches for Lidl, developed with Algramo, triumphed in the Innovation Gallery, beating competition from 147 entries. The refillable pouches for Formil laundry detergent are designed to help cut plastic waste by letting customers refill in-store. The system promotes eco-friendly shopping while offering discounts, encouraging bulk buying and cost savings.
Blue Ocean Closures, PulpaTronics, GreenEvo, Cauli, and AeroFlexx won the 2025 Packaging Startup Awards. Blue Ocean Closures took the Alternative Materials category for its recyclable cellulose fibre closures, while PulpaTronics won Connected Packaging for its pulp-based materials. GreenEvo claimed the Online award for its platform promoting sustainable products, Cauli secured Refill & Reuse for its reusable takeaway packaging system, and AeroFlexx won Waste Reduction for its plastic-saving liquid packaging. PulpaTronics also took home the Packaging Startup of the Year Award.
Gillian Garside-Wight, director of consulting at Aura Consultants, gave a presentation on macro trends up to the year 2050. After her talk, she said, “Regulations are so pressing and there’s so much change in the packaging industry. In the UK, we’re just starting on our EPR journey. A lot of our clients are global, so while it’s complicated in the UK, once you add in other countries like the USA where every state is different, that is amplified. As reporting needs get bigger, the idea of having somebody scrubbing data to create reports is just not viable anymore. It’s not just about reports and compliance needs, it’s about proactively managing sustainability. That means reducing costs by changing the packaging that contributes most to EPR and other fees going forward.”
While final numbers have yet to be confirmed, organiser Easyfairs said the event expected to see over 7,000 packaging professionals in attendance for the first time in history, cementing Packaging Innovations & Empack’s reputation as the ‘gold standard’ for global packaging industry events.
Businesses interested in attending or exhibiting at next year’s event can register their interest now at www.packagingbirmingham.com.
