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Solutions that perform, packs that comply

sausage wrapped in plastic film
The food packaging industry is operating in a more demanding environment than ever before. Regulatory timelines are tightening, while sustainability expectations - from retailers, consumers and legislators alike - continue to rise. Through all of it, brands still need packaging that protects product quality, performs on the line, and keeps pace with the demands of a fast-moving supply chain.
It's a challenging environment, and many packaging managers, procurement leads and sustainability teams feel they have to make a trade-off. Do you prioritise operational performance or compliance? Do you move fast on recyclability, or do you hold firm on shelf life and barrier properties?

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Dispelling the ‘trade-off’

One of the most persistent misconceptions in food packaging today is that performance and compliance are at odds. This misconception assumes that meeting regulatory requirements - whether PPWR recyclability criteria, EPR modulated fees, or Design for Recycling obligations - inevitably means accepting a compromise somewhere else. It doesn't.


Achieving both performance and compliance demands the right partner, the right design thinking, and a portfolio built with both objectives in mind from the outset. The food brands navigating this change most successfully aren’t the ones choosing between performance and compliance. They're the ones working with partners who remove the need to make that choice in the first place.

The regulatory landscape: what's driving change in 2026

The EU's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) Regulation (EU) 2025/40 represents the most significant overhaul of European packaging legislation in a generation. 

With most requirements applying by the end of 2026, recyclability becomes a hard-line regulatory obligation. Alongside PPWR, harmonised Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) frameworks place direct financial consequences on packaging choices. Fees are modulated by recyclability, and non-compliant materials carry a real cost.

In other words, compliance can no longer be treated as optional or secondary. It must be built into packaging decisions from the start.

One partner; many formats; no compromise

kp's approach to food packaging is rooted in a clear conviction: sustainability and performance are not competing priorities. They're complementary design principles. And to prove it, we've built a world-class, multi-format food packaging portfolio.
Across trays, rigid films and flexible packaging, kp delivers solutions that meet the highest performance standards, while being designed with circularity in mind. Our kp Elite® tray range is manufactured with up to 100% recycled PET. 
kp FlexiLid® EH 145 R, kp FlexiFlow® EH 155 R and kp FlexiVac® R films are all certified recyclable, providing the barrier performance fresh food demands, with the end-of-life credentials compliance requires.
And because kp can supply a full portfolio of pre-formed trays, rigid and flexible films, our customers avoid multiple supplier relationships and conflicting technical approaches. kp supplies its customers with products which all offer the same integrated design philosophy, the same proactive compliance thinking, and the same technical support. That's a significant simplification in a complex regulatory landscape, and simplification has real value.

Proactive compliance, built in by design

At kp, compliance isn't something we retrofit - it's engineered in from the beginning. Our 'Investing in Better' sustainability strategy sets targets that align within coming regulatory requirements – and exceed them in many cases. Our portfolio offers a recyclable alternative for more than 80% of our food packaging solutions. We’ve increased the number of mono-material options in our range, and through the kp Tray2Tray® programme, we are actively closing the loop, supporting circularity goals and strengthening EPR positioning for our customers.
packaging image with the inscription 'Tray 2 Tray'

We work closely with our customers, enabling them to make confident packaging choices, underpinned by robust compliance expertise, removing unnecessary guesswork.

Packaging that's ready for tomorrow

We operate under a 'Packaging with Integrity' ethos. It means we don't chase quick wins or cut corners to reach compliance targets. It means we design solutions that genuinely perform - on the shelf, on the packing line, or at end of life. And it means our customers can take their packaging to market with confidence.

The regulatory landscape will continue to evolve. PPWR targets will tighten step by step, while PCR content requirements step up from 2030, and new Design for Recycling guidelines are on the horizon. At kp, we're already working to ensure our customers stay ahead of those curves – and are not chasing them.

The strongest packaging partnerships aren't just about solving today's problems. They ensure tomorrow's requirements are already built into today's solutions.