Online edition March 2026 | Packaging and Empack

“Continue making packaging choices that prevent food waste, because every company achieves its greatest sustainability gains by minimizing the waste of all raw materials.” Toine Timmermans, director of ‘Samen tegen Voedselverspilling’ (Together Against Food Waste), speaks animatedly about the enormous impact that preventing waste has on sustainability. In fact, it’s a no-brainer, because avoiding waste ultimately saves money at the end of the day.

Within four years it will be 2030. And yes, the alarm bells should be ringing, because by then food companies must already start using recycled content in their packaging under the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). The bottlenecks and challenges are substantial. What is clear is that successful processing into food-safe recycled materials starts with good packaging design.

High speeds, high standards, and no room for error. That is the daily reality in modern beverage production. Haacht Brewery in Boortmeerbeek knows this better than anyone. Reliable inspection and coding are not a nice-to-have, but an absolute requirement.

More in this edition:

• Daring to choose: Jackit on a mission for better food safety
• How Hessing Supervers leads the way in automation
• Chefs Culinar prevents employee absence
• Packaging lines are becoming smarter and more data-driven
• HAS Food Experience | The Circle of Food
• DKB Partners in Foodsolutions moves to the third generation