INDUSTRIAL Physics has warned that while PET packaging is evolving rapidly, the evidence used to prove its performance is not always keeping pace.
The test and measurement partner said that as manufacturers face pressure to increase recycled content, reduce material use, accelerate production, and navigate increasingly complex supply chains, a growing ‘performance gap’ is emerging between what packaging is designed to do and how it performs in real-world applications.
The warning comes as Industrial Physics launches a new report titled The PET Performance Gap: Closing the gap between packaging requirements and proven performance. Developed by Natalia Ciesla, strategic segment manager at Industrial Physics, the report examines four key changes reshaping the PET packaging landscape: higher recycled content, lightweighting, faster production and automation, and increasingly complex supply chains.
With the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) now applying, alongside continued pressure to improve sustainability and efficiency, Industrial Physics says understanding how these changes affect real-world performance is becoming increasingly important.
Natalia Ciesla explained, “PET packaging is being asked to do more with less. Manufacturers are increasing recycled content, reducing material use and accelerating production lines, all while maintaining performance. The challenge is that these changes do not happen in isolation. A change to the resin, bottle design, wall thickness or closure can have consequences elsewhere in the packaging or production process.
“That means the industry needs to look beyond whether packaging meets a specification. We need to understand how changes affect performance and build a stronger chain of evidence to prove that packaging will perform as intended. As PET packaging continues to evolve, the question is shifting from ‘can we make it more sustainable?’ to ‘how do we prove it will still perform?’”
