News

A recent consumer survey on the use of flexible packaging commissioned by Flexible Packaging Europe (FPE) reveals some interesting results.  

The representative survey was conducted by the global market research institute Censuswide in the six major European markets of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Great Britain and Poland in 2024 and recorded the responses of a total of 6,000 consumers.

According to the survey, European consumers particularly value flexible packaging for its very good protective and preservative properties (46%), its ease of use (45%) and its low weight (42%). Flexible packaging enjoys above-average popularity, particularly among younger consumers and in countries such as Poland and France. In Poland, a total of 28% of consumers are in favour of flexible packaging, followed by 25% in France.

With regard to sustainability, half of all respondents answered that they perceive flexible packaging as recyclable. While there are some differences between countries, e.g. 65% in Spain, 58% in Italy, 40% in Germany and 38% in Poland, the differences between age groups and genders are only marginal.

GNT has earned its first EcoVadis gold medal for environmental and ethical activities, ranking the company among the top 3% in the food manufacturing industry. GNT creates Exberry® colors from fruit, vegetables, and plants and has set out a commitment to lead the food coloring industry on sustainability. It has used EcoVadis, a globally recognized provider of business sustainability ratings, to verify its performance and identify areas for improvement since 2017. After achieving a silver medal last year, GNT has now secured a gold ranking for the first time. EcoVadis awarded a total of 78 out of 100 points, placing GNT in the 97th percentile among food manufacturing businesses to have undertaken the evaluation. EcoVadis assessed GNT’s performance across four key areas. It gave the highest scores for Environment and Labor & Human Rights and also increased its ratings on Ethics and Sustainable Procurement. The key factors in the gold ranking included:

- Transparent reporting, including an independent Greenhouse Gas Verification Statement

- New initiatives to support employee training, health and safety, and working conditions throughout the value chain

- A new Code of Conduct and policy to support whistleblowers

Rutger de Kort, Sustainability Manager at GNT Group, said: “We are delighted to have earned our first EcoVadis gold medal. This is an important industry benchmark that is used by many of the world’s leading companies to assess their suppliers’ sustainability credentials. Securing gold is a powerful statement as only 5% of assessed companies achieve this status and our score puts us in the top 3%. This will help us demonstrate to manufacturers that our plant-based Exberry^® colors meet the very highest sustainability standards.” In 2022, GNT set out 17 sustainability targets to optimize its environmental and social impacts over the course of the current decade. Its successes so far include a 22% reduction in carbon intensity at Exberry^® factories since 2020 and a 13% improvement in water efficiency. In addition, the contract farmers working as part of GNT’s supply chain have all received training in sustainable agriculture, with 74% achieving a minimum of Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) silver standard.

DHL and Lindt & Sprüngli have collaborated to reduce ocean transport emissions, aligning with science-based net-zero goals by 2050. Lindt & Sprüngli, the Swiss chocolate manufacturer, has been working with DHL Global Forwarding since 2008 to transport its products worldwide. Now, they're utilizing DHL's GoGreen Plus service, which employs biofuels made from waste and residues to reduce emissions by an average of 80%.

This partnership has already yielded significant results, with Lindt & Sprüngli reducing its carbon footprint by approximately 514.86 metric tonnes of CO₂e emissions in just three months. By the end of 2024, they expect to reduce emissions by around 4,800 tonnes. DHL Global Forwarding's GoGreen Plus service provides an end-to-end solution for Lindt & Sprüngli's supply chain, ensuring emission reduction and seamless transportation. The service focuses on Full Container Load shipments, using 40' reefer containers to preserve the quality of Lindt & Sprüngli's chocolate products.

The Barry Callebaut Group saw resilient sales volume of 2.280 m tonnes (0.0% year-on-year) in fiscal year 2023/24 (ended August 31, 2024).  

Sales volume was down 1.2% in the fourth quarter, impacted by the phasing of customer purchases in Gourmet and decisive action to temporarily shut down the Toluca, Mexico facility proactively.

Global Chocolate saw 0.3% volume growth in fiscal year 2023/24, ahead of an overall declining chocolate confectionery market according to NielsenIQ (- 1.1%; source: NielsenIQ volume growth excluding e-commerce – 26 countries, September 2023 to August 2024, data subject to adjustment to match Barry Callebaut’s reporting period; NielsenIQ data only partially reflects the out-of-home and impulse consumption). Volume development for food manufacturers (- 1.5%) was impacted by soft demand from large global customers, partly offset by resilient performance for private label customers. Gourmet delivered 9.8% volume growth, with strong performance across geographies and market segments.
Looking at regional performance within Global Chocolate, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa (+ 5.2%) was the strongest contributor, with double-digit growth in the second half of the year supported by continued strong growth in India and improved performance in Indonesia. Volume in Western Europe (+ 0.8%) was solid as growth for Gourmet offset slower demand for food manufacturers. Latin America saw strong volume growth of 7.2% led by strong momentum in Brazil, particularly for Gourmet customers. Central and Eastern Europe (- 1.2%) was impacted by lower volumes for several large global and regional customers. North America reported a volume decrease of 1.8%, driven by slower demand for large food manufacturers, while regional accounts and Gourmet saw continued momentum. Global Cocoa saw a 1.4% decrease in sales volume, in the context of a significant increase in cocoa prices. Sales of cocoa butter and cocoa liquor were impacted by the supply constrained environment. Demand for cocoa powder remained robust, with particular strength in India and Indonesia.

Sales revenue increased 28.1% in local currencies (+ 22.6% in CHF), to CHF 10.386 bn. The increase was driven by significant price increases to reflect the acceleration in cocoa bean prices, which Barry Callebaut manages through its cost-plus pricing model for the majority of its business. Gross profit amounted to CHF 1.382 bn, up 7.7% in local currencies (+ 2.5% in CHF), supported by the company's cost-plus pricing model and mix. Operating profit (EBIT) recurring amounted to CHF 704.4 m, increasing by 12.7% in local currencies (+ 6.8% in CHF). The strong increase reflected the pass-through of higher financing costs through the cost-plus model, which are offset below the EBIT level, as well as mix and initial BC Next Level cost savings. Operating profit (EBIT) reported amounted to CHF 446.1 m compared to CHF 659.4 m in the prior year. Net profit recurring for the period amounted to CHF 417.5 m, down 2.0% in local currencies (- 5.8% in CHF). Net profit reported amounted to CHF 190.9 m.

The company receives the award for outstanding achievements in sustainable production. Swedbrand Poland, a manufacturer of luxury rigid boxes, is proud to announce that it has been awarded the EcoVadis Platinum rating, placing the company in the top 1% of businesses worldwide recognized for their commitment to sustainability. This prestigious accolade highlights Swedbrand Poland’s unwavering dedication to environmental stewardship, ethical business practices, and sustainable manufacturing processes.
Founded in 2006, Swedbrand Group expanded its operations with the establishment of its Polish factory in 2021. The modern, state-of-the-art facility was created with the strategic goal of shifting high-volume production from Asia to Europe, delivering superior quality and efficiency. Since opening, the factory has manufactured tens of millions of rigid boxes for some of the world’s leading luxury brands. Fully equipped to manage every step of the process—from sampling and production to fulfillment—the factory serves as a comprehensive, one-stop solution for luxury packaging.
Co-founder and owner Zaid Bunni expressed his pride in this achievement, stating, "Receiving the EcoVadis Platinum level is a monumental milestone for Swedbrand Poland. It is a reflection of our team's dedication to not only meet but exceed the highest standards of sustainability in our industry. From the very beginning, our mission was to create a facility that embodies innovation, quality, and environmental responsibility. Achieving this recognition is a testament to the hard work and commitment of our entire team."

Exhibitors and educational sessions present latest innovations and best practices Pack Expo International 2024 (Nov. 3–6; McCormick Place, Chicago), will showcase a wide array of innovations to help brand owners minimize energy consumption, waste, and carbon footprint and address circularity. New and expanded education and show navigation resources will help 45,000 attendees efficiently meet their sustainability objectives as they traverse more than 1.3 million square feet of floor space housing 2,700 exhibitors. “With consumers and regulators paying more attention to sustainability, brand owners must step up their efforts to set and meet goals to increase the sustainability of their operations,” says Laura Thompson, vice president of trade shows at PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, and producer of the Pack Expo portfolio of trade shows. “Attendees at Pack Expo International will be able to walk away with the information they need to set and achieve sustainability goals.” Show resources include the launch of Sustainability Central, the Sustainability Solutions Finder, the Pack Expo Green program, The Showcase of Packaging Innovations®, and free educational sessions. Sustainability Central in the West Hall (Booth W-21020) will explore packaging sustainability and what it means to brands. This new show floor destination will provide a look at actionable, sustainable solutions in manufacturing, materials, recovery, logistics, analytics, and design. With over 20 educational sessions, the Sustainability Central stage will deliver critical insights. On Sunday, Nov. 3, at noon, PMMI experts Jorge Izquierdo, vice president, market development, and Rebecca Marquez, director, custom research, will present Navigating Packaging Materials Transitions, an update on PMMI’s 2023 Packaging Compass report and the related Material Transitioning Dashboard, an on-line tool illustrating materials consumer packaged goods companies are using, what they are phasing out, and their likely replacements over the next five years. Sustainability Central also will feature presentations from experts at Amazon, Conagra, Clorox, Dow, Merck, and the Consumer Brands Association and others, as well as opportunities to learn about the latest planet-friendly innovations, research, and best practices from Virginia Tech, University of Florida, Clemson University, AMERIPEN, and more. Educational sessions related to sustainability also will be presented at the Reusable Packaging Learning Center (Booth LU-6737) in the Reusable Packaging Pavilion, the Innovation Stage (Booth N-4560, N-4580, and N-4585), the Processing Innovation Stage (Booth LU-7147), and Industry Speaks (Booth N-4544). Topics include technology and materials innovations, the use of recycled content and renewable materials, transformation of waste, circularity, refill/reuse options, life cycle assessment, sustainable package design, reduction in emissions, extended producer responsibility, and data collection.