Hockenheim, Germany – Sonoco is pleased to announce that it has become a European Paper Packaging Alliance (EPPA) member as of January 2023.

Established in 2020 and headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, EPPA is a not-for-profit food and food service packaging association that works with European policymakers to find solutions to increase food packaging recyclability without compromising on health and safety.

The EPPA also serves as a voice of the industry for its 11 members, highlighting the advantages – such as increased shelf life and food safety – of fibre-based packaging that incorporates functional coatings and barriers.

Sonoco manufactures a wide variety of paper containers, some of which feature barrier properties. This is the type of packaging that EPPA advocates for, among others.

Sonoco looks forward to collaborating with other EPPA members to promote the value of recycling, as well as the use of poly-coated fibre-based packaging.

Francesco Giannolo, Vice President and General Manager of Sonoco’s European Rigid Paper Container division: “Our team is thrilled to be a member of the European Paper Packaging Alliance. Being a part of the Alliance will give us even more of a voice to facilitate positive change in the industry.

“Our customers will benefit from our membership because more stakeholders will learn about the benefits of poly-coated fibre-based packaging. Additionally, the EPPA is helping to better define legislation surrounding this type of packaging.”

Matti Rantanen, Director General at the EPPA, added: “We are delighted to welcome Sonoco as our newest Alliance member.

“Fibre-based packaging is an integral part of the modern European food economy and Sonoco has shown, with its paper containers and other innovations, that it is making a huge difference to the sustainable packaging market.”

Over the last few years, Sonoco has continued to focus on its sustainability credentials. In August 2022, it became a member of the European Organization for Packaging and the Environment (EUROPEN); in May 2021, it joined the Industry Council for Packaging & the Environment (INCPEN).