Packaging Today Show

It’s Wednesday — which means Can We Solve It is back! Tonight, Evelio, Adam, and Cory tackle your toughest packaging riddles. Send us the questions — if we can’t crack them live, you win a T‑shirt (thanks, SmartSolve).But first — we dig into the week’s most provocative headlines:🏷 Aldi’s Private Label Rebrand: Aldi is finally putting its name front and center on nearly all its private-label products. What does this mean for trust, shelf presence, and the future of store brands? Axios+1🍽 Does Packaging Change Flavor?: A new deep dive into how the food packaging itself—not just the food—can shape how we perceive taste.🚭 Plain Packaging for Vapes in the UK: New research shows that standardized, logo‑free vape packaging reduces its appeal to teens while having minimal effect on adult users. University College London+2EurekAlert!+2Whether you’re here for game‑show chaos or serious packaging debates, tonight’s packed with insights, laughs, and maybe a little humility when we get stumped.

Recycling is collapsing in real time. In this episode, Evelio Mattos, Cory Connors, and Adam Peek break down the shocking closure of rPlanet Earth, California’s $100M vertically integrated PET recycler. Why are domestic recyclers shutting down while brands claim to be “sustainable”?We dive deep into the real economics of plastic recycling, the softening PET markets, and why chemical recycling isn’t living up to the hype. Then what everybody is asking: is paper packaging the only viable path forward?Don’t make 2025 packaging decisions based on yesterday’s news.

One wrong word on a bottle. One missing allergen warning. One incorrect dosage. That’s all it takes for a packaging error to turn into a fatal recall.In today’s episode of Packaging Today, Evelio, Cory, and Adam dive deep into the terrifying world of packaging-related recalls, where bad information, sloppy approvals, or rushed production can literally cost lives.We discuss:🧯 How packaging errors happen (and who’s responsible)⚖️ What the FDA and other global agencies expect from packaging and labels🧪 Why it's not just food and pharma at risk, cosmetics, supplements, and even candles can kill🧠 How small brands can build safer approval workflows without enterprise-level systems🛠️ How to fix a packaging error when it’s already on shelvesWe’re not fear-mongering, we’re giving you the toolkit to protect your brand, your customers, and your team from the costly (and sometimes deadly) fallout of packaging mistakes.The life this episode saves may be your own! ok, probably not saving anyone's life, but we've always wanted to say that.Work with the guys:Reach out to Evelio: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eveliomattos/Contact Cory: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cory-connors/Ask Adam: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adampeek/Support those that support our show:Manage your packaging specs with www.specright.comLearn more about water soluble papers from www.Smartsolve.com#packaging

Apple's iconic packaging is just about to change and it's due to regulations that are challenging all brands to rething their packaging.- What Apple’s “carbon neutral” mark looked like—and why it’s being phased out globally- How new EU regulations are tightening claims and pushing brands to rethink sustainability messaging- Why this matters beyond Apple—any brand calling itself eco-friendly needs to pay attention- What replaces the carbon neutral badge? Is transparency the new luxury?This isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about trust, compliance, and the packaging of the future.Curious? Let’s peel back the layers and decode the shift.Work with guys:Evelio - https://www.IDPdirect.comCory - https://www.atlanticpkg.comAdam - http://www.labelkingcorp.comNeed to manage your packaging specs for EPR regulation? go to https://www.Specright.comCheck out https://www.Smartsolve.com Packaging Dissolve your waste, not your standards.

If flexible packaging isn’t recyclable today why do brands insist on calling it sustainable?Today on Packaging Today, K-Pack Demon Hunters Evelio, Cory, and Adam dive into a critical turning point for flexible packaging recycling in the U.S. with the launch of the U.S. Flexible Film Initiative (USFFI) a coalition of CPG giants like General Mills, PepsiCo, Nestlé, and more, aiming to finally make scalable recycling for flexible films a reality.We break down:What USFFI is actually doing and yes, they’re funding MRFs to get flexible packaging recycled. The biggest infrastructure gaps: Only ~2% of U.S. households can recycle flexible film curbside right now. The friction points consumers face: from tangling in sorting machines to multi-layer barriers that defy recycling. Why California is ground zero thanks to its aggressive EPR mandates and SB54 requirements for recycling rates. We’ll challenge the snack pouch assumptions, ask whether these programs are real solutions or just expensive PR and predict whether real recycling for flexible films can ever match consumer convenience.Work with guys:Evelio - https://www.IDPdirect.comCory - https://www.atlanticpkg.comAdam - http://www.labelkingcorp.comWant packaging that dissolves? check out https://www.Smartsolve.comNeed to manage your packaging specs for EPR regulation? go to https://www.Specright.com

Is the marketplace shrinking—or are boxmakers simply boxed in? This episode of Packaging Today dives deep with Bloomberg analyst Ryan Fox to decode the alarming year-over-year slide in cardboard packaging—and what it says about consumer behavior, the economy, and sustainability.What you’ll hear:Why cardboard shipments are the unconventional economic red flag everyone should be watchingHow tariffs and inventory freeze cycles are skewing demand—but not telling the full storyThe ripple effect: What a box shortage could mean for brands, designers, and your living roomWhy smarter packaging isn’t optional it’s survivalTune in as Evelio, Cory, and Adam push past headlines and ask Ryan: What are you missing?Work with guys:Evelio - https://www.IDPdirect.comCory - https://www.atlanticpkg.comAdam - http://www.labelkingcorp.comWant packaging that dissolves? check out https://www.Smartsolve.comNeed to manage your packaging spoecs for EPR regulation? go to https://www.Specright.com

Join hosts Evelio Mattos, Cory Connors, and Adam Peek as they break down the latest packaging news and share a step-by-step guide on how startups can design packaging that stands out in today’s market. Learn how to choose the right materials, create cost-effective designs, and build packaging that tells your brand story while meeting sustainability goals. Perfect for new business owners, entrepreneurs, and creators ready to launch with packaging that sells.

Discover the strange but lucrative world of flipping empty luxury packaging. From Loewe bags to Chanel boxes, people are reselling what most of us throw away for hundreds online. Learn why buyers pay top dollar for used packaging, how this resale economy works, and what designers and brands can take away from it to add value, boost sustainability, and create collectible packaging experiences.

Engine Organic Gin's packaging design is gassed up and ready to disrupt your bar cart. Today on Packaging Today, Evelio, Cory, and Adam break down the bold branding move that puts high-end gin in what looks like a motor oil can and why it works.We’ll dive into:Why Engine Gin’s packaging stands out in a saturated spirits shelfThe psychology behind unexpected formatsOther brands taking wild risks with form, function, and storytellingPlus: What lessons can luxury, beauty, and CPG brands steal from this petrol-powered bottle?It’s Pack of the Week, and Engine Gin just might run away with the win.

You’ve been lied to. That compostable bag? Not compostable. That “recyclable” pouch? Only in your dreams.In this episode of Packaging Today, Adam Peek and Evelio Mattos blow the lid off the biggest packaging myths brands and consumers still believe and expose the truth behind so-called “sustainable” materials.From fake eco claims to greenwashed innovation, we’re naming names and breaking down how to design smarter, legally compliant packaging that doesn’t destroy trust (or the planet).💥 Plus, we launch a new segment: Liar, Liar, Pack on Fire 🔥The game where we test 3 viral packs and vote: Sustainable solution or pure BS?🎯 What you'll learn:How to spot and fix greenwashing in your packagingThe myths hurting your brand’s reputationHow to ask your suppliers the right questionsThis isn’t about shame, it’s about getting real.#packaging