PKN Packaging News

WPO president Luciana Pellegrino tells PKN why the new global initiative must recognise packaging’s contribution while creating space for honest debate and public feedback. The global packaging community will mark the first World Packaging Day on 6 September, giving the industry a dedicated platform to explain its contribution to society while inviting scrutiny of the challenges it still needs to address.

By Lindy Hughson | 4 September 2026 In the news: RPA, ACOR, WMRR, DCCEEW, APCO, Boomerang Alliance, Phantm, Viva Energy, Woolworths, MtBarker, Multisteps, WPO, AIP Brought to you by Trimatt Systems. Streets, part of The Magnum Ice Cream Company, Coles and Australian Red Cross have joined forces to help communities prepare for emergencies.

The Visual Media Association (VMA) is calling on all businesses across the print, packaging and visual media industry, members and non-members, to urgently participate in its Industry Workplace Planning Survey, as the Association prepares evidence to protect the industry’s position within Australia’s future apprenticeship and skills framework.

Informa Markets will become the Platinum Plus Partner of the Australasian Institute of Packaging (AIP), solidifying the long-standing relationship between the two organisations and enabling growth of the AIP educational offerings within the food, beverage, packaging and HoReCa (Hotel, Restaurant, and Café/Catering) shows in the Asian region.

The Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation, Australian Council of Recycling and Boomerang Alliance have issued a united call for nationally consistent extended producer responsibility for packaging, following the administration of a major plastics recycler and confirmation that no new Commonwealth packaging scheme will be introduced this term.

PKN’s latest print issue is hitting desks and landing in inboxes, bringing readers up to speed with the innovations, partnerships and industry achievements shaping packaging across Australia and New Zealand. Hot off the press, the PKN Packaging News Quarterly September 2026 issue is on its way to you in the mail and available online for your convenience.

Australian recycling specialist, iQRenew, recently completed an extensive upgrade of its Wyong facility, with the majority of the facility’s existing gearboxes and ancillary equipment being provided by Bonfiglioli. The upgrade enables the company to cut a new trail in the industrial recycling landscape by transforming previously unusable glass waste into a valuable, engineered product on-site.

PKN examines how Western Australian poultry producer Mt Barker Chicken and packaging manufacturer MultiStep have built a long-term partnership around operational certainty, multi-material flexibility and reliable supply. In poultry processing, there is little room for uncertainty. Fresh product moves through production every day, putting a premium on packaging reliability. For Mt Barker Chicken, that reality has shaped the way the business approaches packaging decisions.

Packaging was central to Woolworths’ two-year redevelopment of its Dinner Made Easy range, reshaping the category from shelf to supply chain. When shoppers browse Woolworths’ new Dinner Made Easy range, the colour-coded packs and neatly organised shelves may appear deceptively simple. In reality, they reflect a two-year packaging development program spanning shopper navigation, cooking performance and supply chain efficiency.

The Australasian Institute of Packaging (AIP) will join the global packaging community in marking the first World Packaging Day, established by the World Packaging Organisation (WPO) as an annual event. The WPO selected 6 September because it marks the anniversary of the organisation’s foundation. The AIP is a full member of the WPO and has strong representation within its leadership.