Pure Trade creates a holiday display gift box for the Flowerbomb fragrance by Viktor&Rolf. The octagonal design, inspired by the faceted bottle, features a half-moon-shaped opening that reveals the products inside.  When opening, the interior platform lifts using hinges and a 100% paper mechanism for a dynamic effect ..read more

Waitrose is trialing cork recycling in seven stores across the UK, becoming the first major UK supermarket to do so.  Individual collection points have been set up in Waitrose Salisbury, followed by Saltash, Lymington, Bath, Godalming, Truro and Maidenhead once it relaunches in November ..read more

The UK’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) decision to delay the plastic packaging tax under the extended producer responsibility (EPR) by a year was taken under lobbying pressure from food industry bodies, according to meeting notes obtained under a Freedom of Information Act request.  EPR was originally planned for implementation this month, but in July, the government announced it would not come into force until October 2025. The scheme will mean businesses must pay fees on plastic packaging data that is currently being collected.   ..read more

Mondi is acquiring Schumacher Packaging’s Western Europe packaging assets. The acquisition of the German, Benelux and UK corrugated converting and solid board operations will expand Mondi’s corrugated footprint in Western Europe and add complementary fiber-based products focused on e-commerce and FMCG.  The acquisition includes seven corrugated converting plants, two solid board mills and four solid board converting plants, adding over one billion square meters of capacity once fully operational.  Among the acquired sites are two “mega-box” plants in Germany, located at Ebersdorf and ..read more

The caps and closures industry is innovating around packaging material circularity as regulatory changes necessitating a shift in production methods are increasingly at the forefront of customers’ minds.  Earlier this year, the EU’s Single-use Plastics Directive (SUPD) came into force. The directive requires that all single-use plastics have no removable parts and be tethered to the bottles to aid material capture for recycling.  “In anticipation of this, our closures in Europe meet these new requirements,” a spokesperson at Aptar Closures tells Packaging Insights.  ..read more

Amkor Technology and TSMC have signed a memorandum of understanding to bring advanced packaging and test capabilities to Arizona to expand the US’ semiconductor ecosystem.  TSMC is contracting turnkey advanced packaging and test services from Amkor in its planned facility in Peoria, Arizona.  ..read more

The Estée Lauder Companies and glass recycling specialist Strategic Materials publish findings from a cosmetic glass recycling case study to help design glass that can yield a higher output of recyclable cullet.  The multi-year study outlines criteria for designing cosmetic glass packaging intended to be recyclable ..read more

Pre-cut lidding solutions provider Chadwicks is featuring its range of sustainable lidding for food packaging at Scanpack in Sweden (October 4–7). The company highlights its new rPET pre-cut lidding film, which contains up to 50% PCR.  Fully approved for food contact, rPET pre-cut lids are ideal for various food applications such as butter, dips, spreads and yogurts, as well as beverages and convenience foods, and offer the “same high-performance characteristics” as standard PET pre-cut lidding ..read more

US serviceware producer Evanesce will begin producing the first 7.5 million drinking straws made from Biodolomer, a limestone-based compostable material developed and manufactured in Sweden by Gaia Biomaterials. “The US market is 500 million straws — per day, and we offer a material that gives the feeling that customers want. The potential is enormous,” says Gaia Biomaterials CEO Peter Stenström.  ..read more

Stora Enso has launched its Beyond Board Packaging Services to help customers make informed decisions about European packaging regulations and circular economy requirements.  The Beyond Board services span sustainability training, regulatory services, circularity assessments and LCA Services. The sustainability training component has been designed for various roles, including sales, sourcing and product management.  ..read more