Everything Packaging - the 42nd Best Packaging Podcast

June 26 is not only National Barcode Day; this year is the 50th Anniversary of the first time a UPC barcode was scanned in a live retail transaction. 

Since then, the UPC and the GS1 family of barcodes have become the standard for product and packaging identification. 

And there's much more to come! 

In this episode, I take a quick look at the new EU rules for labeling of breakfast items, a university that is working on alternatives to Best By dates and question the purity of Pure Irish Butter.

Enjoy! 

Welcome to the latest What's Up With Packaging, where I look at packaging-related news stories that got my attention in the last week or so.

In this episode, I cover a new beverage can plant opening right in our town and packaging legislation in the EU and the UK.

Some of the latest packaging related stories that caught my attention the last week or so. 

1. Unilever watering down sustainability and social initiatives. 
2. Packaging for the new to USA over-the-counter birth control pill.
3. Maybe you shouldn't flex about your green credentials when you switch to Tetra Pak for your packaging. 
4. A small saving in plastics use by supermarket chain, Aldi. 

What out for new episodes of the podcast and What's Up With Packaging? soon! 

If you prefer to watch the video version (hey, you'll see me and an appearance by Molly the Boston Terrier, head over here: https://packagingnews.net/whats-up-with-packaging-ep2/

Some of the packaging stories that have gotten my attention in the last week or so. 

What exactly is this smart packaging thing?
Well, in this context, it is product packaging containing technologies that can communicate digitally with consumers. 
From simple barcodes to high-tech Augmented Reality, there are cool things in store! 

I see a lot of laser coding systems, both in actual plants and in online videos, that operate with no guarding in place. 

This is hazardous to people in the vicinity - in this episode, I'll explain why and how lasers can be made safe. 

Today, we're looking at a topic that's been making waves in the packaging industry: labelless or label-free PET bottles for beverage packaging

Now, you might be wondering, what exactly are these labelless PET bottles? 

As it happens, they're precisely what you’d think – PET bottles without the traditional paper or plastic labels wrapped around them. 

PET is pretty much the standard material for beverage bottles, you’ll see it used for water bottles as well as for packaging all kinds of other drinks. You can be sure that a huge

 a number of these packages are filled, labeled, and shipped every day.

Packaging is essential for any manufacturer or processor, as it protects, preserves and promotes products to consumers. But did you know that there are different levels of packaging that serve different purposes? Let’s find out more about them.

Over the past few years, flexible packaging has been making waves in various industries. More and more brands are switching to flexible packaging for food and beverages and personal care items. And it's not hard to see why!

But here's the thing - flexible packaging is a bit of a double-edged sword regarding recycling. On the one hand, it offers excellent performance and protection for products. On the other hand, the laminated nature of the packaging film makes recycling a challenge.

Flexible packaging films are traditionally made of different materials that are often difficult to separate during recycling.

But fear not, there's a potential solution on the horizon - mono-materials!