Ahead of the 2026 Sustainable Packaging Summit, we spoke with Renata Daudt Chief Executive Officer at AWEN Packaging Consulting, to learn more about global perspectives on the PPWR and the other key Summit talking points.
What do you think will be the key talking points at the 2026 Sustainable Packaging Summit?
I think PPWR implementation will inevitably be one of the key talking points this year. Now that the Regulation is applicable, we can move from discussing what companies should do to hearing what implementation actually looks like in practice — what the main challenges have been, how businesses are interpreting the requirements, and where they are allocating time and resources.
I’m particularly interested in hearing directly from brand owners about their experience, but also from the European Commission about what they expect from industry. There are still upcoming requirements that need further clarity, so it will be interesting to understand how these will unfold and how PPWR can ultimately deliver a positive impact across the Single Market and potentially influence packaging regulation globally.
As someone who’s based in Australia, what is your perspective on the positives and negatives of the EU’s PPWR, especially in light of the recent news regarding the shelving of Australia’s own packaging regulation?
To me, PPWR has been a bit of a beacon for other regions. I see Australia as a learner in this regulatory process, and interestingly, my Australian clients that already sell into the EU are ahead of others. They are having to understand PPWR and adapt their packaging now, so when stronger EPR regulation eventually comes to Australia, they will already be much better prepared.
There is still a bigger question, though, about how PPWR will align with other markets globally. If a global company needs four different recycling labels for the same product because it sells into different markets, I wouldn't necessarily call that the most sustainable approach. We need to think about regulatory harmonisation as well as packaging harmonisation.
Something many people outside Australia don't realise is that our system has some similarities to the EU in that states have their own legislation and approaches to waste management. One of our biggest challenges is that what can be recycled can differ between states and even between councils. That makes it extremely difficult to establish consistent consumer behaviour.
On top of that, recycling labels aren't mandatory nationally, and many councils still only provide households with two main bins: general waste and recycling. This means different recyclable materials are collected together, making sorting and effective recycling more challenging downstream.
In my opinion, this really needs to be one of the first steps alongside stronger packaging regulation in Australia: harmonising the system across the country so states and councils have the same bin types, clearer and cleaner material streams, and consistent recycling instructions for households. EPR regulation is extremely important, but we also need the infrastructure behind it to make it work effectively.
We see a lot of concerning/negative packaging stories every day, so much so that it can be hard to remember positive stories about innovation and sustainability successes. What has been your favourite packaging-related good news story from the past year?
Perhaps because I’m always curious to learn more, and innovative material alternatives to plastic are at the core of my PhD research, I actually see good news about packaging almost every day!
New materials are definitely some of my favourite stories, particularly innovations that use agricultural waste and by-products as feedstock. I love seeing examples such as winery waste being transformed into leather-like materials, or agricultural residues that would otherwise be discarded being turned into new packaging materials.
I’m also fascinated by new technologies that are improving how we produce, sort and recycle packaging. Through my PhD, I’m looking specifically at algae-based materials, so naturally I’m always interested in emerging bio-based solutions as well.
What excites me most is that we are starting to look beyond simply replacing one material with another. A material being bio-based doesn't automatically make it sustainable. We need to understand where the feedstock comes from, how the material is produced, whether it performs its function, and importantly, what happens at the end of its life.
There is so much innovation happening in packaging right now, so for me there are actually plenty of positive stories to talk about!
When you think about the 2026 Sustainable Packaging Summit, what is the part you are most excited for?
This will be my third year as an Ambassador and speaker, and I’m really proud to be part of this Summit and to see how the community continues to grow. I’d particularly love to see more people from Oceania and other regions joining the conversation, bringing different perspectives on the challenges and opportunities we face in packaging sustainability around the world.
For me, it’s also about the people. I’m looking forward to catching up with colleagues in the industry, meeting people I’ve only interacted with online, making new connections and having those conversations that you simply don’t get from reading reports or attending webinars.
And, of course, the after-awards party is always a great place for that!
