Befitting what has been a huge year for packaging innovation, sustainability and investment, this final issue for 2023 is jam-packed with news and in-depth features, including the latest developments in Circular Economy, Packaging Innovation, Food & Beverage Packaging, and Design, plus our reports on Pack Expo and Labelexpo.

This month, rigid plastics specialist Wellman Packaging, supplier to many multinational brands, is celebrating five decades of innovation, advanced manufacturing, and sustainability.

Yoghurt manufacturer MOO Premium Foods will be changing its packaging following an ACCC investigation into misleading ‘100 per cent ocean plastic’ representations on its packaging and social media.

In a strategic move aimed at strengthening the ANZ region's packaging sector, APCO and AIP have signed an MOU, signifying a collaborative effort to align sustainable packaging practices throughout industry.

The Swedish Australian Chamber of Commerce has awarded Tetra Pak and saveBOARD the 2023 Excellence in Partnership and Collaboration Award, for their beverage carton recycling initiative.

The two agencies driving Australia’s food waste reduction efforts – Fight Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre and Stop Food Waste Australia – have joined forces to become End Food Waste Australia.

APCO has published its ARL Consumer Insights Report 2023, which is its annual benchmarking survey exploring consumer recycling attitudes, beliefs and behaviours in Australia and New Zealand.

Circularity 2023, a conference powered by Planet Ark's ACE Hub, took place in Melbourne this week, with industry, government, and academia sharing knowledge and ideas to drive actionable change towards a more circular future.

Spicers, Chemist Warehouse and Oliver’s Taranga Vineyards took home top honours at the international Real Media Awards, recognised for their leading packaging, brand activation and labels work.

Peak industry bodies and packaging manufacturers have welcomed the Australian Environment Ministers’ recently announced plans to implement a collaborative, national approach to packaging regulation, along with a focus on design standards and traceability.

Opal’s world class, $140 million corrugated cardboard packaging facility in Wodonga was officially opened on 15 November, with a special ceremony well-timed to coincide with National Recycling Week.

Mondelēz International has opened a new $13m state-of-the-art Schubert automated packaging line at its Gourmet Food manufacturing facility at Dandenong, Victoria.

Social impact enterprise, War on Single Use Plastic (WOSUP), has appointed former Rugby Australia CEO Andy Marinos as Board chairman.

An evening recognising the excellence and innovation within the sustainable packaging industry was held last night at the APCO 2023 Annual Awards. In a room packed with the brightest minds, ingenious innovators, passionate, and determined packaging sector leaders, it was a time to celebrate the collective efforts of individuals, organisations, and projects truly driving change to a more sustainable future.

Ahead of APCO's 2023 Awards ceremony tonight, Industry Sector winners have been revealed, with Arnott’s Group, Ball & Doggett, CHEP, and O F Packaging among the top businesses recognised.

Opal Group has opened its doors for AIP members via a virtual site tour of its facilities, giving insights into its recycling operation, its Botany Mill, its fibre and specialty packaging divisions, and its bag solutions.