Taiwan's Ministry of Environment and a retail packaging sustainability alliance launched 350 green-packaging products across 61 categories on 19 October 2026. The products are sold through hypermarket and supermarket chains and backed by ten companies including Kao, Swire Coca-Cola, Heineken and Unilever. Environment Minister Peng Chi-ming set a target of 1,000 such products within two years, as the ministry works towards the EU goal of a 10% packaging reduction by 2035.
Why this mattersThe voluntary programme moves brand owners supplying Taiwanese retail towards packaging reduction in line with EU targets, with a link to circular-label certification under consideration.
- 350 green-packaging products across 61 categories launched on 19 October 2026
- Ten companies took part, including Kao, Swire Coca-Cola, Heineken, Unilever, PX Mart and FamilyMart
- Environment Minister Peng Chi-ming targets 1,000 green-packaging products within two years
- The ministry aims to meet the EU target of a 10% packaging reduction by 2035
- PX Mart's bulk-sale sections and lighter fresh-food packaging cut plastic use by more than 11,000 kg last year, according to the ministry's resource circulation agency
Pulpex has started production at its first commercial-scale fibre bottle plant near Glasgow, with initial capacity of 40 million units a year and an ambition to scale to 1 billion units. More than 90% of the plant's capacity for the current financial year has already been secured, including by Purely Scottish Natural Mineral Water and smol.
Why this mattersFirst industrial-scale supply of plastic-free fibre bottles gives brand owners an alternative to PET and glass, and gives licensees a route into the format regionally.
- The plant near Glasgow started commercial production in October 2026 with initial capacity of 40 million units a year.
- Long-term target is 1 billion units globally.
- More than 90% of the plant's capacity for the current financial year is secured; early adopters include Purely Scottish Natural Mineral Water and smol.
- Pulpex is backed by a consortium including Diageo, Unilever, PepsiCo and Kraft Heinz.
- Swiss manufacturer Perlen Industrieholding holds licence rights for Switzerland, Austria, Italy and southern Germany.
- India-based Alternicq holds exclusive development rights for India and the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Smartfill has made freely available the design of the low-cost liquid refill dispenser it developed for the U-Refill pilot in Bangladesh, a project backed by Unilever, the UK's FCDO and EY through the TRANSFORM accelerator. The company says open access will let brands, retailers and local manufacturers adapt and mass-produce the dispensers, lowering unit costs for refill systems aimed at informal retail markets that currently rely on single-use sachets.
Why this mattersOpen-sourcing a low-cost refill dispenser could cut the capital barrier that has confined reuse systems to small pilots, especially in sachet-dominated developing markets.
- Smartfill has open-sourced the dispenser design developed for its U-Refill pilot in Bangladesh
- The pilot was supported by TRANSFORM, an accelerator led by Unilever, the UK's FCDO and EY
- The dispenser is built for low-volume liquid refill in informal retail, as an alternative to multi-layered plastic sachets
- Up to 70% of retail in many developing countries runs through small stores, per the company
- CEO Nevo Hadas says a common design could drive bulk production and cut the unit cost of dispensers
UK homecare brand Smol has rolled out a wood-pulp fibre laundry detergent bottle using Pulpex technology, targeting the 58 million plastic laundry liquid containers sold annually in the UK. The launch follows a GBP 62m (USD 83.0m) funding round at Pulpex, including GBP 43.5m (USD 58.3m) from the UK National Wealth Fund, to build the company's first commercial-scale manufacturing plant in Scotland. Pulpex says the bottle, fitted with a recyclable plastic dosing cap, has passed the 4evergreen recyclability methodology for paper mill processing.
Why this mattersA first at-scale fmcg deployment of paper detergent bottles tests whether fibre packaging can displace plastic in a high-volume, liquid-fill category.
- Smol's bottle uses Pulpex wood-pulp fibre technology with an ultra-thin water-based barrier lining.
- It targets 58 million plastic laundry liquid containers sold in the UK each year, over 8,120 tonnes of plastic.
- The bottle passed the 4evergreen recyclability methodology for paper mill processing.
- Pulpex has raised a GBP 62m (USD 83.0m) funding round, including GBP 43.5m (USD 58.3m) from the UK National Wealth Fund.
- The funding will build Pulpex's first commercial-scale manufacturing facility, in Scotland.
- Unilever unveiled a prototype paper detergent bottle for its Omo/Persil/Skip/Breeze brands five years earlier but has not launched it in UK grocery.
- Pulpex has built the manufacturing facility in Scotland financed by its GBP 62m (USD 83.0m) funding round.
- The Scotland plant is intended to bring paper water bottles to retail shelves amid tightening plastic packaging regulation.
Colgate-Palmolive, Mars, Nestlé, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble and Unilever have become founding members of the PaperFlex Consortium, convened by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and (RE)SET, to jointly fund and trial paper-based alternatives to flexible plastic packaging such as sachets, wrappers and pouches. The consortium targets markets where flexible plastic use is high but collection and recycling infrastructure is limited, and remains open to further brand owners, innovators, suppliers and investors. Each member will continue to make its own packaging decisions independently.
Why this mattersA joint R&D push by six of the largest packaging buyers could accelerate paper-based substitutes for flexible plastic, reshaping demand for converters and material suppliers.
- Colgate-Palmolive, Mars, Nestle, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble and Unilever are founding members of the PaperFlex Consortium.
- The consortium is convened by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and powered by (RE)SET.
- Work will cover technologies including biodegradable coatings to improve product protection, shelf life and manufacturing-line performance of paper-based materials.
- The initiative follows an Ellen MacArthur Foundation report published earlier in 2026, endorsed by 48 businesses, NGOs, investors and academics, setting six design criteria for paper-based alternatives.
- Flexible plastic packaging, including sachets, wrappers and pouches, is described by the Foundation as the fastest-growing type of plastic packaging globally.
- The consortium remains open to additional FMCG companies, innovators, suppliers and investors.
- The Ellen MacArthur Foundation says responsible paper-based flexible packaging does not yet exist at required performance, scale and cost.
- Research priorities include coatings, product protection, shelf life, consumer usability and manufacturing-line performance.
- The consortium targets flexible packaging formats sized A5 or smaller, including sachets, wrappers and pouches, in markets such as India, Indonesia and the Philippines that lack formal plastic collection systems.
- Ellen MacArthur Foundation said it has invited further companies to join the consortium.
- A separate EU flagship project, BIOWRAP, targets replacing over 100 million square metres of plastic bubble wrap within five years of the project ending, aiming for a 90% paper recycling material recovery rate
- Ellen MacArthur Foundation states commercially viable paper-based replacements do not yet exist at the performance, scale and cost required across all applications
- Unilever has doubled its packaging R&D spending and built a team of more than 60 material scientists focused on paper and barrier coatings.
- Unilever cites its 2024 UK launch of a grease-resistant paper-based Knorr stock cube wrapper as a reference case for the consortium's work.
- The Ellen MacArthur Foundation's 2030 Plastics Agenda for Business names small-format flexible plastic packaging as one of three key systemic barriers to tackling plastic waste.
- Coverage specifies the consortium targets small-format flexible plastic packaging such as sachets and pouches
- The Ellen MacArthur Foundation said no responsible paper-based flexible packaging solutions yet exist at the required performance, scale and cost.
Unilever has become a founding member of the PaperFlex Consortium, set up by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and consultancy (Re)set to develop paper-based alternatives to plastic flexible packaging such as sachets, wrappers and pouches. Colgate-Palmolive, Mars, Nestle, PepsiCo and Procter & Gamble are also founding members, funding joint trials of materials intended to protect products and run on existing filling lines.
Why this mattersSix of the largest consumer goods groups backing paper flexibles as a group could accelerate converter investment in fibre-based barrier packaging for sachets and pouches.
- Unilever joined the PaperFlex Consortium in September 2026.
- Founding members also include Colgate-Palmolive, Mars, Nestle, PepsiCo and Procter & Gamble.
- The consortium was formed by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and environmental consultancy (Re)set.
- Members will jointly fund and run trials of paper-based flexible packaging as a plastic alternative.
- Unilever says it has doubled its packaging R&D investment and employs more than 60 material scientists working on paper-based materials and barrier coatings.
- The consortium's launch builds on a 2026 Ellen MacArthur Foundation report backed by 48 companies, NGOs, investors and academics
- Six design criteria for the transition include recyclability, biodegradability and responsible sourcing of raw materials
- The consortium remains open to additional companies, suppliers, innovators and investors
