CFIA food packaging 2025
Rennes, March 4-6th
Key take away from CFIA
All players in the food packaging industry are aware of PPWR. Nevertheless, their implication is depending on their position is the value chain:
· No material suppliers, chemical producers were represented at CFIA , only semi-finished products or additives suppliers
· Plastic film suppliers (Korozo, packartis, AEP, Taghleef..) have all expert team of PPWR who keep their top management informed about the recent development to manage risk , innovation and investment. The focus is on DFR solutions (Mono PE , Mono PP, washable glue, PET trays,… ) but the 10% recycled content for food contact application is considered far away and economically not viable.
· Paper film suppliers in food contact (Hutamaki) promote the environmental advantages of paper film or packaging to replace plastic films and comply on PPWR for coated paper (recyclability tests in progress). Paper image as an ecofriendly, bio sourced and bio-degradable material is seen as a strong marketing tool, sometime combined with plastic trays, although not consistent with PPWR targets of recyclability.
· Medium size packaging producers (back integrated in plastic film production or not), are driven by optimum design, increased functionality and cost reduction (less plastic, higher machine productivity), not by PPWR guidelines. Applications such as multipack, PVC stretch films, multilaterals for barrier films (ratio of PA/PE /EVOH) is not yet considered as critical.
· Packaging producer have their own marketing and innovation offering that “sounds” environmentally friendly although not consistent with the upcoming regulation :
o Biodegradable or bio based plastic solutions
o Mixing paper and plastic
· Machine suppliers do what their customer want, believing that this is the responsibility of their customer to comply with PPWR, and their film suppliers to offer DFR compliant films or trays.
· CITEO objective as PRO is to reduce plastic waste in France and balance the costs of recycling with the EPR fee, charging more the polluters. CITEO target is to maximize the plastic recycle rate on a French national level, through new recycling technology ( for example PS is now considered as a recyclable material with the announced investment in the chemical recycling plant of Indaver, although not yet running) The alignment between CITEO and the EU regulation PPWR is very constructive, CITEO is one of the French representative at CEN, and vice versa report in France the state of the PPWR to prepare the French packaging industry. CITEO eco-modulation EPR fee as a short term impact on the french industry and packaging design to implement the French policy. Vincent Collard from CITEO is the most influencial personality for that purpose.