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Advocating for the label in packaging reform

Emilie Bartolini, Avery Dennison's Government Affairs Manager EMENA, discusses the importance of policy in sustainability efforts and how our newly created Government Affairs function is educating key legislative stakeholders on the role of the label with the circular economy. 

New packaging legislation is particularly impactful for the cosmetics and personal care segment, which has a consumption value of over 80 billion in the EU and shows no signs of slowing down. 

Currently, all eyes are on the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste directive, which will shake up the packaging world by setting sustainability requirements around recyclability, reusability, and recycled content for all packaging. This new dossier will push all companies in the home and personal care space (and beyond!) to rethink their product packaging and, consequently, how they communicate information to consumers. 

A key concept that the EU is aiming to promote with new legislation is reuse. In our "Small. Yet Significant." guide to navigating sustainable labeling, we discuss how EcoDesign principles are being used to create more sustainable products, including reusable packaging.

 

 

 According to the EU, reusable packaging is a more resource-efficient and energy-saving option when compared to recycling. This is why we will see many brands in the home and personal care space setting up ambitious refill and reuse systems, whereby packaging can go through multiple rotations and waste can be prevented.

In reusable packaging systems the role of labels will also change. As the largest producer of pressure sensitive labels, we are constantly innovating to create new solutions for our customers.

 

 

We must ensure that legislative trends such as reusability are part of this thinking, and that our current and future products and growth strategies align with regulators’ long-term vision for circular packaging. To support this, I work closely with functions such as sustainability and R&D and leadership teams to provide updates and training on critical regulatory developments. 

The external environment is also key when it comes to influencing the future of packaging. We engage with a complex policy ecosystem which includes regulators, industry groups, NGOs, and other stakeholders. By having a seat at the table with policy influencers, we are able to advocate for the vital role of labels in the circular economy and communicate about how we are innovating to offer ever more sustainable solutions.

Evolving to meet our shared sustainability goals is arguably the greatest challenge faced by our industry and society as a whole. As a leader in the industry, we are prepared to tackle this challenge and contribute to critical emission-reduction goals by doing our part to make packaging in Europe truly circular.


Learn more about sustainable labels

Here at Avery Dennison, we provide a wide selection of sustainable labeling solutions designed to stay on top of the latest market trends and policy developments. Check out our "Small. Yet Significant." guide to navigating sustainable labeling for HPC brands to learn how choosing the right label can help you move closer to your sustainability goals. 

 

Ready to talk? Our Ecosystem Managers are experts in the home and personal care space and are here to help you solve your sustainability challenges.