Industry and government leaders explore future of packaging at 6th IIP International Summit

Industry leaders, technology experts, policymakers and sustainability advocates gathered at the sixth International Summit for the Packaging Industry, organised by the Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP), to discuss the future of packaging under the theme ‘Packaging 5S–AI’.

The event brought together stakeholders from across the packaging value chain to explore innovation, sustainability and the role of emerging technologies in shaping next-generation packaging solutions.

In a keynote address, Jeevaraj Pillai, whole-time director, president – flexible packaging and new product development, and director – sustainability at UFlex Limited, outlined the evolving role of packaging in advancing sustainability and supporting the circular economy.

Pillai emphasised that the future of packaging lies in designing materials and solutions that support circularity while continuing to meet the functional requirements of product protection, safety and shelf life.

He said innovation must move beyond incremental improvements and focus on structures compatible with existing recycling systems.

Reinforcing the industry’s progress in this area, Pillai noted: “Whatever is extrudable is recyclable,” highlighting that materials capable of being reprocessed through extrusion can be recycled back into films and other products.

According to Pillai, this principle is central to enabling circularity in flexible packaging, where materials are designed not only for performance but also for recyclability.

He also stressed the importance of stronger collaboration across the packaging ecosystem — from material producers and converters to brand owners and policymakers — to accelerate the shift towards sustainable packaging solutions that reduce waste while supporting efficient resource use.

The summit’s theme, Packaging 5S–AI, focused on advancing packaging that is safe, secure, standardised, smart and sustainable, while examining the role of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence in meeting evolving sustainability and regulatory requirements.