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EU Packaging Regulation (PPWR): The Beverage Carton Sector Welcomes the Adoption of the Measure

April 24, 2024

The industry particularly appreciates that throughout the legislative process, European parliamentarians recognized the primary function of beverage cartons—a packaging solution that helps ensure and maintain the quality, safety, and integrity of products consumed daily by millions of citizens. In Europe, approximately 75% of milk and 59% of fruit juices are packaged in beverage cartons, while in Italy, these figures are nearly 65% for milk, 54% for fruit juices, and 97% for plant-based beverages.

FBCA and its members support the overarching goals of the PPWR and the European Union's ambition to make all packaging recyclable or reusable by 2030, while also reducing unnecessary packaging and packaging waste.

"The regulation sets ambitious targets, and our sector will continue to invest resources to advance toward even more recyclable and low-environmental-impact packaging for the protection of food and beverages," commented Micol Bertoni, Public Affairs Director Italy at ACE. "In the coming months, given the importance of adopting secondary legislation that will define crucial aspects of the regulation, we will provide the European Commission with our expertise to contribute to the technical development of implementing acts and delegated acts to establish methodologies for achieving these goals."

The beverage carton industry has already invested approximately €200 million in Europe to improve recycling capacity and plans to invest an additional €100 million by 2027, about two-thirds of which will be dedicated to recycling PolyAl. PolyAl is the small plastic and aluminum component within beverage cartons that separates from the paper's cellulose fibers, the primary raw material, during the recycling process.

Key References:

  1. Roland Berger: Impact assessment study of an EU-wide collection for recycling target of beverage cartons (2022)
  2. 2018 Liquid Fruit Market Report
  3. Source: ACE internal market data
  4. Roland Berger: Impact assessment study of an EU-wide collection for recycling target of beverage cartons (2022)

 

About FBCA

The Food and Beverage Carton Alliance (FBCA) is the leading global platform uniting beverage carton manufacturers and their paperboard suppliers. Formed from the merger of ACE and EXTR:ACT, FBCA advocates for beverage cartons as safe, circular, and sustainable packaging solutions that contribute to resilient food systems and low-carbon economies.


Download the press release in Italian here

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