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As global environmental concerns grow more urgent, the packaging industry stands at a pivotal crossroads. From escalating plastic pollution to stricter regulations and shifting consumer expectations, the demand for sustainable packaging solutions is louder than ever. Circular Economy Week 2025 arrived at a crucial moment, serving as a collaborative platform where innovators, policymakers, and sustainability leaders showcased real-world progress in building a circular packaging system. The event highlighted how bold thinking, cross-sector partnerships, and systems-level change can help transform traditional linear models into regenerative, closed-loop systems.
From recycling breakthroughs to the scaling of reuse models, the week was packed with tangible examples of circular economy principles in action. What follows is a comprehensive overview of key themes and case studies that are reshaping the future of sustainable packaging.
Recycling Innovation and Infrastructure Expansion
Among the most notable advancements presented during the week was Berry Global’s CleanStream® recycling technology, developed to address one of the most persistent challenges in packaging sustainability: low plastic recycling rates. According to the European Environment Agency, the average recycling rate for municipal waste in the EU stands at just 40.8%, with some countries falling as low as 11%. Berry’s CleanStream® aims to flip that narrative by offering a scalable and effective way to transform household polypropylene (PP) waste into high-purity, post-consumer recycled material.
Located in Leamington Spa, Berry’s CleanStream® facility processes approximately 50,000 tonnes of kerbside-collected PP annually—the equivalent of over 1 billion packaging items. This closed-loop system uses advanced AI-driven sorting and decontamination steps to ensure recycled content meets strict standards for contact-sensitive applications, making it suitable for food-grade packaging. Not only does this help manufacturers meet the UK Plastic Pact’s 30% recycled content target, but it also boosts demand for PP packaging streams like pots, tubs, and trays, which are historically under-collected.
An independent life cycle analysis by Quantis found that using CleanStream® technology can reduce carbon emissions by up to 35% compared to virgin plastic—saving an estimated 36,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually when operating at full capacity. This kind of innovation demonstrates how recycling infrastructure, when aligned with regulatory goals and industry collaboration, can have a transformative impact on both environmental and economic performance.
Colpac’s Holistic Circularity Approach
Food packaging specialist Colpac presented a multifaceted strategy focused on embedding circular principles into every stage of product development—from raw material sourcing to consumer disposal. By working with the On-Pack Recycling Label (OPRL) initiative and adhering to the Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM), Colpac ensures its packaging not only meets recyclability criteria but also fits within existing waste management systems.
One standout case involved Pret’s platter packaging, where Colpac replaced plastic laminates with direct food contact inks. This switch streamlined recyclability and delivered annual material savings of over 9,000 kilograms. The company also adopted lightweight, FSC®-certified paperboard, cutting both material use and packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) costs.
Colpac also tackled food waste by investing in technologies such as heat-seal packaging and Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP)—both of which extend the shelf life of fresh food and minimize spoilage. Meanwhile, powering their manufacturing operations with 100% renewable electricity contributes to Colpac’s net-zero commitment, reinforcing the idea that circularity must be woven into operations, not just product design.
Importantly, Colpac is proactive in educating end-users by printing recycling instructions and QR codes on their products to facilitate proper disposal. Their model proves that meaningful change happens when design, education, and operational efficiency work together.
Policy Gaps and the Call for Government Alignment
Despite industry innovation, legislative alignment remains a sticking point. Zoe Brimelow, Director at Duo UK, delivered a compelling argument that without a cohesive national strategy, even the most well-intentioned policies may fall short. The UK is currently rolling out multiple schemes—Simpler Recycling, the Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT), and Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR)—but with no central plan tying them together.
Brimelow raised concerns that while pEPR is expected to generate around £10 billion in recycling investment, there’s no legal requirement for councils to allocate these funds to infrastructure upgrades. Her company’s pilot project with EMERGE Recycling, which collected hard-to-recycle LDPE plastics in Greater Manchester, demonstrated both the feasibility and demand for expanding collection streams. However, without public investment, scaling these initiatives remains challenging.
Brimelow’s proposed National Circular Packaging Plan would ensure that taxes and levies are directly reinvested into improving recycling outcomes, increasing transparency, and helping businesses see how their contributions support systemic change.
Reuse and Refill Systems at Scale – GoUnpackaged’s Model
GoUnpackaged remains a leading voice in the reuse and refill movement, advocating for packaging systems that prioritize reuse as per the waste hierarchy: prevent, reuse, recycle, recover, and dispose. Working with The Refill Coalition—a partnership between Ocado Retail, Aldi, and logistics provider CHEP—GoUnpackaged has developed scalable reuse models for both in-store and e-commerce contexts.
One major insight is that early reuse pilots often failed because they weren’t designed for scale or standardization. GoUnpackaged tackles this by creating interoperable, cross-sector frameworks that multiple stakeholders can adopt. Their pilot solutions saw reuse rates of up to 56% in-store and 43% online—far higher than previous industry benchmarks.
Crucially, they underscore the need for consumer behaviour change, highlighting the role of pre-shop and post-shop education. With clear messaging, customers are more likely to adopt new systems that reduce environmental impact. Independent lifecycle assessments by Eunomia confirm that even accounting for transport and cleaning, the reuse models offer net environmental benefits when scaled effectively.
Flint Group’s Innovations in Circular Printing
Sustainability doesn’t stop at the substrate—Flint Group brought attention to the vital role of inks, coatings, and printing technologies in enabling circularity. Their PRISM framework focuses on product design that aligns with recyclability, regulatory compliance, and circular economy principles. Their Nitrocellulose-free ink systems improve compatibility with mechanical recycling, while TerraCode water-based inks are bio-based and compostable.
Flint also introduced UV LED dual-curing inks, which reduce energy consumption during printing. Their de-inking technologies and barrier coatings allow for mono-material packaging designs, simplifying recycling and minimizing contamination. Through service platforms like 360°ServiceCode and VIVO Colour Solutions, Flint supports clients in waste reduction, compliance, and “right-first-time” color management—key to avoiding excess production waste.
NBCo – Packaging Designed to Disappear
NBCo’s moulded fibre bottles exemplify regenerative packaging by design. Made from locally sourced, bio-based materials, their products aim to disappear harmlessly into the environment at end-of-life. Their commitment extends to using minimal energy and water during production and working closely with recyclers to ensure theoretical recyclability translates into real-world recovery.
NBCo’s success lies in their systems thinking: reducing transport emissions by localizing manufacturing, collaborating across the value chain, and creating packaging that is as effective as it is ethical. This model highlights how small brands can drive big change when circularity is core to their business model, not just a feature.
RE-ZIP – Data-Driven Reusables
In an increasingly data-driven world, RE-ZIP bridges the gap between physical packaging and digital traceability. Their system—built around reusable mailers and boxes—tracks every unit's life cycle using QR codes and a Reporting Tool that integrates reuse rates, carbon savings, and disposal outcomes.
Designed for easy integration with e-commerce platforms, RE-ZIP's analytics dashboard helps brands comply with PPWR and EPR mandates by offering evidence-based reporting. Retailers can pinpoint where reuse cycles break down and adjust logistics accordingly. It’s a solution built not only for sustainability, but for transparency and compliance in a regulatory landscape that is rapidly tightening.
Eunomia’s Strategic Vision and Policy Leadership
As both a policy influencer and implementation partner, Eunomia plays a vital role in bridging legislation and action. Their work shaping major directives like PPWR and SUPD, and designing reuse infrastructure for clients like Uber Eats and TOMRA, demonstrates a deep understanding of the circular economy from both strategic and technical standpoints.
Tom Domen emphasized that today's ecological crises—climate breakdown, biodiversity loss, and pollution—stem from systemic mismanagement of resources. Eunomia’s approach embraces regenerative design, systems thinking, and collaboration to build strategies that don't just adapt to change but shape it.
Kongsberg PCS – Equipping the Circular Economy
Sustainable packaging innovation doesn’t end with design—it also depends on production tools that can process evolving materials. Kongsberg PCS provides cutting equipment capable of handling difficult-to-cut, high-recycled-content substrates like honeycomb board. Their blades, made with tungsten carbide and coated with proprietary C2 technology, last longer, reduce friction by up to 60%, and minimize power consumption.
This upstream innovation ensures packaging materials—no matter how sustainable—can be produced efficiently and at scale, helping to reduce waste and energy usage in manufacturing.
Versatility as the Cornerstone of Circular Design
In a world where product types, regional regulations, and waste systems vary wildly, Ashlee Jahnke of Teysha Technologies argued that versatility is the missing ingredient in most sustainable packaging solutions. Traditional alternatives like paper or glass often come with trade-offs: poor moisture resistance, high weight, or limited recyclability.
Bioplastics, when designed for modularity, offer adaptability in both material properties and sourcing. Teysha’s "plug-and-play" system allows manufacturers to tailor bioplastics to local feedstocks and disposal infrastructure, ensuring resilience in the face of global volatility. In this context, versatility becomes not just an advantage—but a necessity.
A Collaborative Path Forward
Circular Economy Week 2025 made one thing abundantly clear: the path to sustainable packaging is not linear. It requires multidimensional, multi-stakeholder collaboration, backed by policy alignment, technological innovation, and consumer engagement.
From Berry’s CleanStream® to RE-ZIP’s traceability tools, from Colpac’s compostable packs to GoUnpackaged’s refill ecosystem, each solution reflects a shift from theory to practice. But to truly scale, these efforts need robust support from regulators, retailers, and the public alike.
Ultimately, building a circular economy is about more than closing loops—it’s about opening minds to a new way of doing business that protects both planet and profit.