8th - 9th March 2027

Agenda

Redefining the entire packaging lifecycle for a circular, sustainable future

DAY 1

08:00 - 08:50

REGISTRATION

08:55 – 09:00

CHAIRPERSON’S OPENING REMARKS

09:00 - 09:30

The 2030 Packaging Innovation & Sustainability Roadmap

  • Defining strategic packaging priorities for 2027–2030
  • Identifying high-impact innovation opportunities
  • Setting measurable sustainability and circularity targets
  • Building partnerships across the packaging value chain
  • Creating an actionable R&D and innovation pipeline

09:30 - 10:00

Artificial Intelligence in Developing Sustainable Packaging

  • Using AI-driven design and optimisation to reduce material use while maintaining packaging performance
  • Applying AI to identify lower-carbon, recyclable and bio-based material alternatives during early-stage development
  • Leveraging predictive modelling and simulation to accelerate prototyping, testing and time-to-market
  • Using AI to optimise packaging formats, logistics and supply chains to reduce waste, energy use and transport emissions
  • Combining AI with LCA and packaging data to assess environmental impacts and support evidence-based decisions
  • Exploring AI-powered quality control, sorting and recycling technologies to improve circularity across the packaging lifecycle

10:00 - 10:30

Building a Digital, Sustainable and Circular Packaging Ecosystem at Scale

  • Integrating digital technologies, data and AI across packaging design, development and supply chains
  • Scaling circular packaging models, including reuse, refill, recycling and closed-loop systems
  • Accelerating the adoption of low-carbon, recyclable and renewable packaging materials
  • Connecting brands, converters, material suppliers, recyclers and technology providers through collaborative ecosystems
  • Using digital traceability and packaging data to improve transparency, compliance and circularity performance
  • Balancing sustainability, cost, functionality and scalability to move innovation from pilot projects to global deployment

10:35 - 11:25

COFFEE BREAK

11:30 - 12:00

Sustainable Materials & Next-Generation Substrates

  • Recycled, recyclable, bio-based and renewable materials
  • Advances in paper, fibre, bioplastics and alternative substrates
  • Material performance versus environmental impact
  • Reducing virgin material dependency
  • Evaluating emerging materials for commercial scalability

12:00 - 12:30

Overcoming the Barriers to PHA-Based Packaging

  • Addressing cost, scalability and supply availability to enable wider commercial adoption of PHA materials
  • Improving mechanical, thermal and barrier performance for demanding packaging applications
  • Optimising PHA formulations and blends to achieve functionality without compromising biodegradability
  • Navigating compostability, biodegradation and end-of-life requirements across different markets
  • Developing efficient processing, conversion and manufacturing technologies for PHA packaging
  • Building partnerships across the PHA value chain to accelerate R&D, testing and commercialisation

12:30 - 13:00

Smart & Connected Packaging Technologies

  • Integrating QR, NFC, RFID and digital watermarking into packaging to enable new functionality
  • Developing connected packaging for traceability, authentication, consumer engagement and recycling
  • Exploring printed electronics and intelligent indicators for freshness, condition and product monitoring
  • Balancing smart functionality with cost, recyclability, data privacy and manufacturing complexity

PLANNED INVESTMENT AREAS

  • Packaging Innovation / PPWR
  • Marketing & Branding
  • Additives for Innovative Packaging Design
  • Food Contact Materials
  • Flexible Packaging Solutions
  • Testing & Analysis
  • Digital Product Passport (DPP)
  • Robotic Automation
  • Sustainable Pallet and Container Solutions
  • Packaging Machinery & Plant construction
  • Biodegradable Materials/Circularity and End-of-Life
  • Brand Protection & Anti-counterfeiting
  • Smart Packaging Technologies
  • Packaging Procurement
  • Labelling & Traceability
  • Material Optimization (Reduction and Sourcing)
  • Packaging Sterilization / Decontamination
  • Bio-based PET
  • Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
  • Packaging Engineering
  • Automation/Robotics
  • Circular Economy
  • E-Commerce Packaging
  • Sustainable Digital Printing
  • Regulatory Compliance & Reporting
  • Sustainable Inks
  • Carton Packaging
  • 3D Printing

13:05 - 13:55

LUNCH

14:00 - 14:30

PPWR Implementation: Lessons Learned from Early Movers Across Sectors

  • Sharing practical lessons from companies that have already begun adapting packaging portfolios and processes to PPWR requirements
  • Examining what has worked — and what has not — across design, recyclability, recycled content, reuse and packaging reduction
  • Addressing challenges around data collection, supplier alignment, compliance and documentation
  • Comparing implementation approaches across food & beverage, consumer goods, retail, cosmetics and industrial packaging
  • Identifying effective strategies for managing cost, timelines, technical constraints and supply-chain disruption
  • Translating early-mover experience into practical actions and priorities for organisations preparing for the next stages of PPWR implementation

14:30 – 15:00

Glass Packaging Sustainability Roadmap

  • Accelerating decarbonisation of glass production through energy efficiency, renewable energy and low-carbon furnace technologies
  • Increasing cullet use and closed-loop recycling to reduce raw-material consumption and production emissions
  • Driving lightweighting and design optimisation while maintaining strength, safety and product protection
  • Exploring reusable and refillable glass packaging models to extend packaging lifecycles
  • Improving collection, sorting and recycling infrastructure to maximise glass recovery and circularity
  • Building a measurable roadmap with carbon, recycled-content, energy and circularity targets through 2030 and beyond

15:00 – 15:30

A Vision for Data Sharing Under PPWR

  • Creating standardised packaging data frameworks to support consistent PPWR compliance across the value chain
  • Improving data transparency and traceability from raw materials and packaging production through to end-of-life
  • Establishing interoperable systems for sharing recyclability, recycled content, material composition and packaging footprint data
  • Using digital product passports and connected packaging data to enable more efficient circularity and reporting
  • Addressing challenges around data quality, ownership, confidentiality and interoperability between stakeholders
  • Building greater collaboration between brands, packaging suppliers, recyclers, retailers and regulators to create a trusted packaging data ecosystem

15:35 - 16:25

COFFEE BREAK

16:30 - 17:00

AI & Digitalisation in Packaging R&D

  • Using AI-driven modelling and simulation to accelerate material and packaging development
  • Predicting material performance, shelf life and failure modes before physical prototyping
  • Applying digital tools to optimise structures, material usage and manufacturing parameters
  • Creating digital workflows that reduce development time, testing costs and physical prototypes

17:00 - 17:30

Next-Generation Barrier Technologies

  • Developing high-performance oxygen, moisture and aroma barriers with reduced material complexity
  • Replacing conventional multilayer structures with recyclable coatings, thin films and functional layers
  • Balancing barrier performance with recyclability, compostability and food-contact requirements
  • Scaling emerging barrier technologies from lab trials to high-speed commercial production

17:30 - 18:00

Designing for Recyclability: From Concept to Circularity

  • Designing packaging around real-world collection, sorting and recycling systems, not just theoretical recyclability
  • Simplifying structures and reducing problematic materials, coatings, inks, adhesives and multi-material components
  • Aligning packaging formats with recycling infrastructure and end-market demand for recovered materials
  • Using clear labelling and consumer guidance to improve correct disposal and collection
  • Testing packaging through real-world trials and recycling-system assessments to validate performance at scale

PLANNED INVESTMENT AREAS

  • Packaging Innovation / PPWR
  • Marketing & Branding
  • Additives for Innovative Packaging Design
  • Food Contact Materials
  • Flexible Packaging Solutions
  • Testing & Analysis
  • Digital Product Passport (DPP)
  • Robotic Automation
  • Sustainable Pallet and Container Solutions
  • Packaging Machinery & Plant construction
  • Biodegradable Materials/Circularity and End-of-Life
  • Brand Protection & Anti-counterfeiting
  • Smart Packaging Technologies
  • Packaging Procurement
  • Labelling & Traceability
  • Material Optimization (Reduction and Sourcing)
  • Packaging Sterilization / Decontamination
  • Bio-based PET
  • Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
  • Packaging Engineering
  • Automation/Robotics
  • Circular Economy
  • E-Commerce Packaging
  • Sustainable Digital Printing
  • Regulatory Compliance & Reporting
  • Sustainable Inks
  • Carton Packaging
  • 3D Printing

18:00-19:00

DRINKS RECEPTION

DAY 2

08:55 – 09:00

CHAIRPERSON’S OPENING REMARKS

09:00 – 09:30

Building Resilient Supply Chains for Sustainable Packaging Through Strategic Partnerships & Procurement Transformation

  • Building strategic supplier partnerships to secure sustainable materials, capacity and long-term supply
  • Transforming procurement criteria to balance cost, sustainability, quality, resilience and regulatory compliance
  • Diversifying material and supplier portfolios to reduce supply disruption, volatility and dependency risks
  • Improving end-to-end visibility and data sharing across packaging supply chains to identify risks and opportunities earlier
  • Collaborating with suppliers on innovation, recycled content, low-carbon materials and circular packaging solutions to accelerate scale-up

09:30 – 10:00

Leveraging Packaging Design & Innovation to Drive Brand Differentiation in Competitive Markets

  • Using innovative packaging formats, materials and design to create distinctive brand experiences
  • Balancing visual impact, functionality and sustainability to stand out on crowded shelves and online
  • Exploring smart, interactive and personalised packaging to strengthen consumer engagement
  • Turning packaging into a brand storytelling and differentiation tool across multiple channels
  • Scaling successful packaging innovations while maintaining cost efficiency, operational feasibility and brand consistency

10:00 - 10:30

Packaging Reduction, Lightweighting & Resource Efficiency

  • Reducing packaging weight and material consumption
  • Optimising structures without compromising performance
  • Eliminating unnecessary components and secondary packaging
  • Material and energy efficiency throughout production
  • Measuring cost savings alongside environmental benefits

10:30- 11:25

COFFEE BREAK

11:30 – 12:00

Flexible Paper: Scope and Limits of Plastic-to-Paper Substitution

  • Exploring where paper-based flexible packaging can realistically replace conventional plastic films and laminates
  • Assessing technical limitations around moisture, oxygen, grease and heat barriers in demanding applications
  • Comparing recyclability, compostability, carbon footprint and resource use across paper and plastic solutions
  • Addressing the challenges of coatings, laminations and additives that can affect paper recyclability
  • Evaluating the impact on product protection, shelf life, machinery compatibility and packaging performance
  • Identifying applications where paper substitution delivers genuine environmental benefits — and where plastic remains technically necessary

12:00 – 12:30

A Practical Roadmap to Accelerate a Circular Economy in Plastics

  • Scaling design-for-circularity to improve recyclability, material efficiency and compatibility with existing recycling systems
  • Increasing the use of recycled content while securing consistent quality, supply and cost competitiveness
  • Expanding collection, sorting, reuse and recycling infrastructure to keep plastics in circulation for longer
  • Tackling hard-to-recycle formats through material innovation, advanced recycling and improved packaging design
  • Strengthening collaboration across brands, converters, recyclers, policymakers and waste-management organisations
  • Establishing clear investment priorities, measurable targets and KPIs to move from pilots to circular solutions at scale

12:30 – 13:00

Making Smarter Packaging Material & Format Decisions

  • Which factors should drive material and format selection — performance, cost, recyclability, carbon footprint, regulation and supply resilience?
  • Balancing short-term commercial gains against medium-term impacts on operations, consumers and the environment
  • Assessing the trade-offs and unintended consequences of converting packaging portfolios to alternative materials and formats
  • Practical decision-making, real-world challenges and lessons learned

PLANNED INVESTMENT AREAS

  • Packaging Innovation / PPWR
  • Marketing & Branding
  • Additives for Innovative Packaging Design
  • Food Contact Materials
  • Flexible Packaging Solutions
  • Testing & Analysis
  • Digital Product Passport (DPP)
  • Robotic Automation
  • Sustainable Pallet and Container Solutions
  • Packaging Machinery & Plant construction
  • Biodegradable Materials/Circularity and End-of-Life
  • Brand Protection & Anti-counterfeiting
  • Smart Packaging Technologies
  • Packaging Procurement
  • Labelling & Traceability
  • Material Optimization (Reduction and Sourcing)
  • Packaging Sterilization / Decontamination
  • Bio-based PET
  • Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
  • Packaging Engineering
  • Automation/Robotics
  • Circular Economy
  • E-Commerce Packaging
  • Sustainable Digital Printing
  • Regulatory Compliance & Reporting
  • Sustainable Inks
  • Carton Packaging
  • 3D Printing

13:05 - 13:55

LUNCH

14:00 - 14:30

Smart Packaging Journeys: On-Brand Customisation, Automation & Omnichannel Engagement

  • Leveraging digital printing and variable data to deliver personalised, on-brand packaging at scale
  • Using automation and smart manufacturing to improve speed, flexibility and production efficiency
  • Connecting physical packaging with digital experiences through QR codes, NFC, AR and connected packaging
  • Creating omnichannel consumer journeys that link packaging with e-commerce, loyalty, content and brand engagement
  • Balancing personalisation, data, sustainability and cost to deliver commercially scalable smart packaging solutions

14:30 - 15:00

Advanced Recycling & Circular Packaging Technologies

  • Developing packaging specifically for high-quality mechanical and chemical recycling
  • Improving material recovery through design-for-sorting, digital identification and advanced separation technologies
  • Evaluating how recycled materials can meet demanding food-contact, safety and performance requirements
  • Scaling closed-loop solutions that turn post-consumer packaging back into high-value packaging materials

15:00 - 15:05

CHAIRPERSON’S CLOSE

Please note the agenda can be subject to change