New research from the US Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, the PMMI, suggests sustainability has moved beyond packaging materials and is now reshaping the way packaging and processing equipment is specified, designed and purchased.
According to PMMI's latest report, The Ripple Effect: CPG Sustainability and the New OEM Spec Sheet, sustainability initiatives are changing expectations across the packaging and processing supply chain, with equipment manufacturers under growing pressure to deliver machinery capable of handling new materials, improving efficiency and supporting regulatory compliance.
The research, based on responses from consumer packaged goods (CPG/FMCG) companies, co-packers, OEMs and component suppliers, found that 82 per cent of end users are actively pursuing sustainability initiatives, while 64 per cent of OEMs say sustainability is already influencing equipment design decisions.
More than half of end users also reported that limitations in existing packaging machinery are preventing them from achieving their sustainability objectives.
The report identifies growing demand for equipment capable of processing lightweight packaging, post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials, smaller pack formats, and packaging designs that eliminate secondary packaging. Energy efficiency, waste reduction and the ability to generate sustainability reporting data are also becoming increasingly important purchasing considerations.
Jorge Izquierdo, vice president of market development at PMMI, said sustainability discussions now extend well beyond packaging materials.
"Today, sustainability is influencing equipment specifications, production processes, reporting requirements and supplier relationships," he said.
The report also points to evolving regulatory requirements, including Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, as another factor driving equipment investment.
PMMI says the findings reinforce the need for closer collaboration between brand owners, machinery manufacturers and component suppliers, with both OEMs and end users identifying earlier engagement and improved communication as essential to meeting future sustainability goals.
The association expects these themes to feature prominently at PACK EXPO International 2026, where exhibitors will showcase machinery designed to process recyclable, paper-based, mono-material, compostable and PCR packaging formats, alongside technologies aimed at reducing material consumption, improving energy efficiency and minimising production waste.
PACK EXPO International will take place at McCormick Place, Chicago, from 18–21 October, bringing together more than 2600 exhibitors and an expected 48,000 attendees from over 40 industry sectors. The Australian Packaging and Processing Machinery Association (APPMA) will once again be partnering with PMMI, with a booth (N-4490) in the Associations Pavilion in the North Hall.
