Packaging industry news this week was dominated by PACK EXPO International in Chicago, where barrier coatings, recycled-content tubes and policy panels drew most of the attention. Off the show floor, record diesel prices pushed paper mills to add fuel surcharges, third-quarter earnings showed who can hold onto price increases, and Brussels made three of the world’s biggest beverage brands change what their bottles say. Here’s the packaging industry news you need for the week ending October 25, 2026.
Materials & Sustainability
Mitsui Chemicals’ water-based barrier coating wins at PACK EXPO
Mitsui Chemicals America took the Food/Beverage category of PMMI’s 2026 Technology Excellence Awards for TAKELAC WPB 341, a water-based coating that blocks oxygen and moisture. Its selling point is that brands can switch to recyclable mono-material and paper-based formats without giving up shelf life. Show attendees picked the winners by voting on technologies making their debut, according to MMH’s report on the winners.
Amcor’s DecoFusion tube goes up to 100% PCR
Amcor Rigid Packaging Solutions won the Sustainability award for its DecoFusion polyethylene tube. The tube contains up to 100% post-consumer recycled resin and weighs up to 27% less, and Amcor says appearance and performance hold up. For beauty and personal-care brands facing recycled-content mandates, it’s a ready-made option.
Innovia Films launches a foil-replacing metallized BOPP
Innovia Films introduced Propafilm CHBM on October 22. It’s an 18-micron, ultra-high-barrier metallized BOPP film that replaces aluminum foil in polypropylene laminates. Without the foil, pouches and stand-up packs can be recyclable mono-material PP. The launch follows Innovia’s June work with PureCycle on BOPP film containing more than 40% recycled content.
First PHA hotmelt adhesive reaches the U.S.
CJ Biomaterials and Dongsung Chemical brought EcoViva to the U.S. market. It’s a hotmelt adhesive made with CJ’s amorphous PHA biopolymer, and it bonds hard material pairs such as paper-to-aluminum and paper-to-ABS. It works with existing hotmelt nozzles and rollers and is positioned as a lower-carbon alternative to PIB and EVA adhesives. If you’ve been following our look at whether biodegradable shrink wrap really exists yet, bio-based adhesives are another piece of the same question.
Swaay raises €2M to print directly onto cans
Irish startup Swaay Technologies raised more than €2 million, led by BVP, to commercialize direct-to-shape digital printing for beverage cans. Printing artwork straight onto the can removes plastic labels and shrink sleeves, which helps recyclability and cuts lead times on short runs. The company plans to expand across Europe and North America.
Industry & Supply Chain
Diesel surcharges spread through paper and packaging
U.S. diesel hit a record $6.53 per gallon on September 22 and was still around $6.32 this week, roughly 75% higher than a year ago. Packaging Dive reports that Sylvamo ($1/cwt), Sustana ($20/ton) and Billerud ($25/ton from November 1) have all added fuel surcharges. Analysts expect the pressure to last 12-18 months, so freight costs will keep showing up in packaging industry news well into 2027.
PCA calls pricing its “supreme focus”
Packaging Corporation of America reported third-quarter net sales of $2.6 billion, up 12.5%, and net income of $262.3 million. Shipments rose 11%, helped by the containerboard mills it bought from Greif. Executives said they have largely realized a first $50/ton increase and about half of a second. A third $70/ton increase should show up mostly in Q1 2027.
Sonoco’s consumer slump offsets industrial gains
Sonoco’s Q3 sales fell 4.2% to $2.04 billion, and the company booked a $732 million net loss. OCC costs were 90% higher than a year ago, and freight costs rose $17 million. Industrial packaging grew 5.2%, driven by wire-and-cable reels for data center construction. Sonoco is closing two European plants to save $15-20 million in 2027.
Containerboard prices hold flat in October
Fastmarkets RISI left North American linerboard and medium prices unchanged in October after September increases of $70 and $100 per ton. Prices are now up $170 and $200 per ton for the year. Industry contacts expect the third round of increases to keep rolling through March 2027, according to Packaging Dive’s containerboard update.
War-driven resin spikes change the case for PCR
At PACK EXPO, Dow and reusable-packaging maker Orbis said geopolitical supply shocks have changed how brands see recycled resin. Buyers increasingly treat it as a reliable domestic feedstock, not only a sustainability purchase. Dow said it wants “more PCR mandates, more geographies,” according to Resource Recycling.
Machinery shipments grow as automation leads priorities
PMMI said U.S. packaging machinery shipments grew 2.3% in 2025 and are forecast to grow another 4.5% in 2026. Productivity, automation and flexibility are the top priorities, and AI is used most for operator training and knowledge transfer. If you’re adding lines, our guide on surplus packaging equipment vs. new covers what to check first.
Regulations & Design
Coca-Cola, Nestlé and Danone change EU bottle recycling claims
After talks with the European Commission and the CPC consumer-protection network, the three companies agreed to stop using claims like “Recycle me again.” Their labels will instead say things like “This bottle is 100% recycled. Excluding cap and label.” National authorities will monitor compliance. This is a significant piece of packaging industry news for anyone writing on-pack environmental claims.
EU Council backs a small-producer EPR exemption
The EU Council agreed its negotiating position on exempting producers placing less than one tonne of packaging a year on the market from appointing authorized EPR representatives in every member state. Small sellers had paid €200-€800 per country in registration fees, and some had left the EU market. The exemption includes a safeguard clause, a 2030 review and a 2032 expiry.
Chemicals of concern move up the agenda
PACK EXPO policy panels with the FPA and Ameripen said state restrictions are expanding beyond PFAS, partly driven by the “Make America Healthy Again” movement. The federal PACK Act labeling bill has cleared House committees but still has no Senate champion. Brands managing these rules may want to compare tools like Toxnot vs. SafetyChain for food-contact compliance.
States, not Washington, drive EPR
Speakers stressed what recent packaging industry news keeps showing: most packaging legislation is still happening at the state level. Seven states now have packaging EPR laws, and several of them require PCR content. Federal EPR could gain momentum only if control of the House changes. For the details, see our comparison of packaging EPR laws in CA, OR, CO, ME and MN.
Colorcon’s all-in-one closure simplifies pharma packaging
Colorcon won PMMI’s General Packaging & Processing award for its OneLock closure. It combines moisture protection, child resistance, senior-friendly access and tamper evidence in one part, which reduces component counts for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical packagers.
Sources
- Packaging Dive — Pain at the diesel pump creeps into paper and packaging pricing
- Packaging Dive — AI, chemicals of concern, EPR pepper Pack Expo discussions
- European Commission — Commission welcomes commitments of Coca-Cola, Nestlé, and Danone to modify recycling claims on plastic bottles
- MMH — PMMI announces 2026 Technology Excellence Award winners at PACK EXPO International
- Packaging Europe — Innovia Films reveals new high-barrier metallized BOPP film
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the biggest packaging industry news this week?
Record diesel prices pushed paper and packaging mills to add fuel surcharges, PCA and Sonoco reported very different third quarters, and Coca-Cola, Nestlé and Danone agreed to change recycling claims on bottles sold in the EU.
Who won the 2026 PMMI Technology Excellence Awards at PACK EXPO?
Mitsui Chemicals America won Food/Beverage for its TAKELAC WPB 341 barrier coating, Colorcon won General Packaging & Processing for its OneLock closure, and Amcor won Sustainability for its DecoFusion 100% PCR tube.
Why are packaging companies adding fuel surcharges?
U.S. diesel reached a record $6.53 per gallon in September and remains about 75% higher than last year. Sylvamo, Sustana and Billerud have added per-ton or per-hundredweight surcharges as a result.
Did containerboard prices change in October 2026?
No. Fastmarkets RISI left linerboard and medium prices flat in October after September increases of $70 and $100 per ton. Further increases are expected to keep rolling through March 2027.
What changes are Coca-Cola, Nestlé and Danone making to their bottle labels?
They will replace claims like “Recycle me again” with “Recycle me,” and they will clarify recycled-content claims with wording such as “100% recycled, excluding cap and label,” under monitoring by EU consumer authorities.