The field of participants at WorldStar 2026 shows a clear focus on sustainability and circular economy. At the centre are the consistent implementation of PPWR requirements, increased integration of Post-Consumer Recyclates (PCR), improved Design for Recycling, material efficiency and mono-material solutions. In applications, food protection, user-oriented packaging solutions and eCommerce as well as transport solutions for the supply chain are important areas of work.
Overall, sustainability is becoming a structural requirement in packaging development and is losing its status as a pure marketing tool. For Nurlan Idemen, jury member and General Secretary of the Turkish Packaging Manufacturers Association (ASD), “WorldStar 2026 clearly reflected a shift from experimental sustainability concepts toward industrially viable and scalable solutions. Many winning entries demonstrated a balanced integration of environmental performance with cost efficiency, automation compatibility, and supply-chain resilience”.
Where Has There Been Particularly Good Success?
According to juror Ernst Krottendorfer, Managing Director of Packforce Austria, “particularly clear progress is evident in the integration of PCR materials and mono-material solutions for better recyclability. Many solutions are already scalable and directly support PPWR requirements as well as CSRD reporting obligations, particularly in the household and FMCG sectors”.
The other jury members surveyed also emphasise progress in the use of mono-materials and PCR. Additionally, innovations in fibre-based packaging are mentioned, which achieve improved barrier properties and higher functional reliability through the use of coatings, even for contact-sensitive applications. Another area of successful innovation work is transport and eCommerce solutions, where redesign measures lead to reductions in empty space and material use whilst simultaneously improving performance. In Design for Recycling, it's notable that work in respective countries is deliberately carried out for already existing and functioning waste management systems.
Where there is success, more is needed: Despite progress already achieved, the jury members see a need for action to achieve more solutions for genuine recyclability on an industrial scale, to develop high-performance mono-material solutions for complex applications, and to further advance packaging minimisation in the transport and eCommerce sectors. “The central challenge remains the transition from 'theoretically recyclable' to 'practically and comprehensively recyclable' throughout Europe," says Krottendorfer. Oliver Berndt, Head of Events & Marketing at the German Packaging Institute (dvi), also sees "gaps in recyclable mono-material solutions that need to be closed." He also wishes for design "that is more strongly oriented towards the needs of consumers”.
Antro Säilä, juror and Managing Director of the Finnish Packaging Association, sees a need for “reuse systems that can show independent evidence that they work and are better for the environment than old/existing solutions”. Ágnes Pelczer, juror serving the Hungarian Association of Packaging and Materials Handling, sees "an urgent need for scalable solutions for complex food packaging, especially where barrier properties and shelf life requirements remain challenging". And Nurlan Idemen notes, that “Significant gaps remain in high-barrier sustainable packaging for sensitive food and medical applications. In addition, further innovation is urgently needed in end-of-life solutions for flexible packaging, especially in regions where recycling infrastructure remains fragmented or inconsistent.”
In 2030, many binding and strict targets under the PPWR will be activated or further tightened. These requirements will dominate innovation work in the coming years, Antro Säilä is certain. “The next few years will be decisive for practical implementation,” says Ernst Krottendorfer, who, alongside Design for Recycling according to EU criteria, binding PCR quotas, packaging minimisation, reduction of unnecessary components, reuse and refill systems, and measurable and verifiable sustainability metrics, also points to the importance of packaging data management.
For Nurlan Idemen, Design for Recycling oriented towards regional regulatory requirements will be in focus. He sees “lightweighting combined with structural intelligence — rather than simple material substitution” as a central innovation driver.
For Oliver Berndt, “circular and low-CO₂ mono-material packaging as well as refill systems will be decisive. The transition to paper-based solutions for sensitive goods such as food and pharma will accelerate to meet EU regulations and circular economy requirements. Perhaps Smart Packaging with sensors for food safety will gain momentum.”
Ágnes Pelczer expects that “regulatory pressure will further accelerate innovation in packaging simplification and lifecycle-oriented design”.
Author: Christian Nink, Freelance Journalist
