Bayer launches a mono-PP blister, new EU rules tighten the requirements for environmental claims, and international consumer goods companies join forces to develop flexible paper packaging. These are the most relevant FlexPack news stories of the week.
Bayer launches mono-PP blister for Talcid in Germany
Bayer is switching the German blister packaging for Talcid to a mono-material polypropylene structure. The new blister replaces a multi-material solution and has received RecyClass “Design for Recycling Class A” certification. Bayer reports a recyclable plastic content score of 98.86%. The packaging is scheduled to be introduced in eleven additional European markets by 2027.
My take: This is a genuinely positive development. Mono-PP blisters have been theoretically available for many years, but now we are seeing them move into real commercial applications. It is particularly noteworthy that PVC-based blisters, which were considered state of the art for a long time, can now be replaced. This sends a strong signal to the entire packaging industry. The pharmaceutical industry is also taking action, even though it is not yet under the same regulatory pressure in every area. One question remains, however: Will these small blisters actually be collected and sorted reliably in practice?
New EU rules for environmental claims
From 27 September 2026, new requirements under the EU’s Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive will apply. General statements such as “environmentally friendly”, “green”, “climate-friendly” or “biobased” will only be permitted under clearly defined conditions.
Sustainability labels must also be based on an appropriate certification scheme or established by a public authority. The rules apply to packaging and products that have already been manufactured and placed on the market.
My take: These requirements are necessary and long overdue. Packaging should not simply be described as “sustainable” if the specific improvement cannot be substantiated. Independently verified and compliant labels, together with clear and evidence-based claims, will become even more important when communicating the sustainability performance of packaging. Packaging development, sustainability management and marketing will need to work much more closely together.
UFlex expands aseptic packaging capacity in Egypt
UFlex is investing USD 126 million in a new Asepto production facility in Ain Sokhna. Commercial production is expected to begin by the end of 2026, with an annual capacity of up to twelve billion aseptic beverage cartons.
Together with its existing Indian facility, Asepto’s total installed capacity will increase to 24 billion packs per year. The Egyptian site will serve markets including Europe, Africa and the Gulf states.
Assessment: The investment is more than a straightforward capacity expansion. With its proximity to the Suez Canal and several major sales regions, Egypt is being developed as an export platform. This could create additional competition for European suppliers, but also new sourcing and cooperation opportunities.
Amcor and Dow cooperate on lower-carbon PE
Amcor and Dow plan to jointly develop and scale packaging solutions with a lower calculated carbon footprint. Dow will contribute lower-carbon polyethylene and carbon-footprint calculation methods, while Amcor will provide packaging development and converting expertise.
The material is intended to function as a drop-in solution, avoiding fundamental changes to packaging designs or production equipment. The calculated benefits will be allocated using Dow’s Carbon Footprint Ledger.
Assessment: The drop-in approach could make industrial adoption considerably easier. However, the mass-balance accounting remains difficult to communicate: The alternative feedstock is not necessarily physically present in the specific packaging to which its benefit is allocated. Transparent system boundaries and credible data on the actual emissions reduction will therefore be essential.
Major brands establish PaperFlex Consortium
Colgate-Palmolive, Mars, Nestlé, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble and Unilever are joining forces to develop paper-based alternatives to small-format flexible plastic packaging.
Planned activities include trials with new barriers and coatings as well as research into product protection, shelf life and performance on industrial packaging lines. The packaging solutions are intended to become recyclable and to biodegrade if they unintentionally enter the environment.
Assessment: The involvement of six major brand owners makes PaperFlex a development worth watching. However, it does not yet demonstrate that paper can replace flexible plastic packaging on a large scale. Achieving the necessary barrier properties and machine performance without compromising recyclability in the paper stream will be particularly challenging.
Source: Ellen MacArthur Foundation
Capri Sun tests its largest pouch yet
Capri Sun is testing a “Big Pouch” in the United States that contains roughly three times as much juice as its classic pouch. The new format is almost nine inches high and approximately twice as wide as the familiar single-serving pack.
The pouch is initially being offered as part of a limited sales campaign. Consumer feedback will help determine whether it becomes a permanent product.
Assessment: Increasing the volume also changes handling, stability, product evacuation and potentially the closure system. A typical single-serving pack becomes a format intended for a larger quantity or several consumption occasions. The test shows that an established packaging format cannot simply be enlarged without also changing its usage concept.
Avantium and Klöckner Pentaplast evaluate PEF packaging
Avantium and Klöckner Pentaplast have signed an agreement covering future production capacity for the plant-based polymer PEF. Potential applications include thermoformed food packaging as well as flexible lidding films and flow-wrap structures with demanding barrier requirements.
This is not yet a broad commercial launch, but preparation for possible future commercialisation.
Assessment: PEF’s barrier properties make it technically interesting. However, strong material performance alone will not ensure commercial success. Availability, cost, processability and compatibility with European recycling infrastructure will all be decisive. It remains unclear whether PEF can be handled within existing material streams or will ultimately require a dedicated recycling loop.
Conclusion
This week’s developments reveal two parallel trends. Existing packaging systems are being improved through mono-material structures, new feedstock concepts and more precise carbon accounting. At the same time, regulatory pressure is increasing to communicate the resulting environmental benefits more clearly and credibly.
Whether mono-PP blisters, paper-based flexibles or PEF barriers, technical performance alone is not enough. A structure must also be commercially scalable and compatible with the relevant collection, sorting and recycling systems.
The new rules for environmental claims add another important consideration: how technical improvements are communicated to customers and consumers. General sustainability promises must be replaced by specific, verifiable statements.
