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Early bird rate for the 2025 Australasian Packaging Conference, to be held on 6-7 May at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth, NSW, is closing on 4 April.

Coordinated by the AIP, over 72 speakers have been confirmed for the biennial Australasian Packaging Conference, which is open to all packaging professional across Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia.

The 2025 edition has been designed to provide an expansive range of plenary sessions, panel discussions and concurrent breakout sessions, with over 70 speakers and leading experts in their field covering a broad range of topics relating to the theme ‘Reimagine Packaging Design’.

With the industry in Australia and New Zealand starting to review how packaging can meet the founding principles of the 2025 National Packaging Targets, but also be design-ready and recycle-ready to meet the in-coming mandated National Packaging Design Standards, this conference will discuss the current and future state for packaging design in the region.

This conference will create the opportunity to discuss the path forward for the industry as a whole, and also the design roadmap that will help to create a circular economy for packaging for Australia and New Zealand.

Key topics will include:

  • Moving packaging design towards and beyond 2030.
  • Preparing your packaging design for Extended Producer Responsibility, looking at global best practice such as PPWR.
  • Looking at eco-modulation for kerbside collection and the flow-on for new design standards.
  • The in-coming mandated National Packaging Design Standards and why you need to be ready.
  • The shift towards mono-materials.
  • The reduction of chemicals of concern within packaging such as PFAS.
  • The elimination of PVC, PVDC, PETG, oxo-degradable, landfill degradable materials in packaging.
  • Increasing the use of recycled content in your packaging and why this is important for the circular economy.
  • Reducing evidence-based problematic and unnecessary packaging.
  • Avoidance and reduction of all packaging (primary, secondary and tertiary).
  • Emptiability of the pack and ensuring no product waste through intuitive packaging design.
  • Reduction of the weight of packaging without impacting product protection or shelf-life.
  • Reduction of materials that are seen as contaminants to recycling systems in Australia and New Zealand.
  • Plastics packaging to be recyclable through kerbside collection, alternate pathways such as the Soft Plastics Stewardship Australia/Curby or chemical/advanced recycling.
  • The ability for the packaging to be recycled or reprocessed in Australia and/or New Zealand.
  • Implementation and expansion of models for reusable packaging (primary, secondary and tertiary).
  • Understanding Materials Recovery Facilities and how they link to design.
  • Consistent on-pack labelling for consumers and best practice consumer education campaigns from across the globe.

The conference will also discuss future pathways in Australia and New Zealand for chemical and advanced recycling, soft plastics recycling, container deposit schemes, single-use plastic regulations, alternate pathways, and collection programs for non-kerbside recyclable packaging.

The annual prestigious Australasian Packaging Innovation and Design (PIDA) Awards will also be held as a part of the conference on 6 May. All conference delegates will receive a complimentary ticket to the Gala Awards dinner.

The two-day Australasian Packaging Conference will attain a high amount of Certified Packaging Development (CPD) points towards the Certified Packaging Professional designation.

With concurrent sessions being held during the two days, the AIP recommends that you look at booking a number of your team to attend. Group discounts are available.

Register your place today by clicking here.

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