As the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) progresses to its final stages, the European Parliament and the EU Council's contrasting positions are causing a stir. While Brussels is in the throes of negotiation, Pro Food, the association representing Europe's leading fresh food packaging producers, staged a round table discussion at Fruit Logistica titled "The European Packaging Regulation: Benefit or Damage for the Fruit and Vegetable Supply Chain?".
Massimiliano del Core, president of Ortofrutta Italia, criticized the proposal to eliminate packaging for fruits and vegetables. He emphasized the vital role of plastic packaging in preserving product value and extending shelf life, particularly for fruit and vegetable exports. "Packaging is a tool to combat food waste, which occurs 70 percent after purchase by end consumers. The regulation should focus on end-of-life management to incentivize recycling," he added.
Luigi Scordamaglia, CEO of Filiera Italia and president of Eat Europe, echoed del Core's sentiments, expressing concerns over the potential loss of 32,000 jobs in Italy alone. Martin Engelmann, general manager of IK Industrievereinigung Kunststoffverpackungen, argued that the proposed ban on plastic packaging could violate the principle of equal treatment enshrined in EU law, unless there is an objective justification for differential treatment.
Source: packagingstrategies.com