With legally binding deadlines fast approaching, 2026 marks a watershed for consumer packaging regulation, particularly in the European Union, as the bloc’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) takes full effect in August. As sector priorities are defined by recycling and broader sustainability trends, mono-material packaging solutions will become more important as efforts continue to make packaging more easily recyclable at scale, says GlobalData, a leading intelligence and productivity platform.
Mono-material packaging – based on a single material type, in preference to using several different packaging materials – reduces complications for recyclers and consumers alike. It removes recycling challenges such as separating disparate materials in laminated packaging and simplifies consumers’ waste disposal decisions. As regulatory targets tighten, mono-materials are increasingly becoming a critical innovation focus and a clear pathway to compliance.
Richard Parker, Principal Consumer Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Regulators around the world are including elements into packaging legislation that promote mono-material solutions, particularly as a function of driving recycling rates and efficiency.”
GlobalData’s latest report “Top Trends in Packaging 2026: Industry Insights,” explores mono-material solutions and reveals the upcoming top trends that are shaping the packaging industry. It provides an overview of major packaging regulation announcements across the world, from the new EU PPWR to state-level regulation updates in the US. Drawing on these developments, the report identifies five emerging trends, namely, mono-materials, smart packaging, biobased packaging, hyper-personalised packaging with AI, and refillables and reusables.
Mono-material solutions deliver recyclability
In addition to the EU’s PPWR, California has legislated that all single-use packaging must be recyclable or compostable by 2032, while several other US states’ extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations create similar impetus to move to mono-material solutions. China’s Single-Use Plastic Control Roadmap reached key milestones in 2025, including the elimination of non-recyclable, multi-material laminates while encouraging polyolefin-based (PP/PE) mono-material solutions, which in effect means “recyclable” is achieved by using mono-material paper or plastic.
Recycling packaging a mainstream consumer impulse
According to GlobalData’s Q4 2025 consumer survey1, a quarter of consumers globally now consider that recyclable packaging is an essential characteristic in the products they buy, and almost half see it as a nice-to-have, showing the extent to which that measure of sustainability and a commitment to environmentally-friendly behavior has penetrated consumers’ routines. Consequently, there is a double incentive for packaging producers to look at mono-material solutions – regulatory pressure and a supportive consumer base looking for quicker, simpler recyclables. Simplicity is a key element in both contexts.
Mono-material packaging helps simplify regulatory compliance
As regulations increasingly penalise hard-to-recycle formats, mono-material packaging helps brands improve recyclability scores, reduce EPR fees, and simplify compliance reporting. Regulation is also targeting the wastage associated with oversized packaging, which increases space used in transportation and storage while wasting it inside the packaging. Simple, mono-material, and correctly sized packaging helps to evade regulatory pressure, while also appealing to consumers, who are increasingly critical of the space and recycling challenges that they can face when dealing with oversized packaging.
Mono-material performance comparability challenge
The challenge for packaging producers adopting mono-material approaches is to deliver performance comparable to the multi-material packaging they are seeking to replace. Traditional packaging works because it leverages the complementary properties of multiple materials to solve problems such as securing product longevity, hygiene, and packaging durability. Relying on one material to achieve the same can be difficult, necessitating continued materials research and acceptance of the limitations of and unsuitability of mono-materials in some cases.
Parker concludes: “For brands, mono-materials are no longer a niche innovation but a baseline expectation for future packaging strategies. To remain competitive and compliant, brands should prioritize redesigning packaging portfolios around mono-material solutions, invest in material and barrier innovation to maintain product performance, and ensure packaging choices align with local recycling infrastructure and evolving sustainability regulations.”
1GlobalData 2025 Q4 global consumer survey, 21,000 respondents across 42 countries
Koa receives recognition for its socially responsible business just five years after the establishment of its innovative cocoa fruit venture. The Swiss-Ghanaian start-up is excited to announce the success- ful B Corp™ Certification with a score of 95.7 points. As Koa is scaling its operations, the team pushes even further in improving and leading with positive change.
Koa has officially become a B Corp™, short for Certified B Corporation, using the power of business to address some of society’s greatest challenges. “Nowadays, measuring the success of a company needs to go beyond pure financial performance. Since our inception, we measure our success on the triple bottom line: people, planet and profit. Being B Corp certified, we join a community of businesses around the world leading the transformation of the global economic system and we hope that many of our peers will follow our example,” Benjamin Kuschnik, Co-Founder and Group Finance Director of the Swiss-Ghanaian start-up, highlights.
A rigorous review of Koa’s impact
By certifying their businesses, recognised B Corps step into a framework for continuous improve- ment. A company must achieve a minimum score of 80 points on the B Impact Assessment to be certified and repeat the verification process every three years. The extensive assessment measures Koa’s ongoing impact on its workers, community and suppliers, customers, governance and the environment to make sure that the company is meeting high international standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.
As a B Corp, the start-up joins the growing movement of around 6,000 Certified B Corporations from 158 industries across 86 countries, including companies like Ben & Jerry’s, Innocent Drinks and Valrhona. The B Corp Certification is administered by B Lab™. Lucy Muigai, CEO of the African B Lab certifying Koa says: “This is not only a win for Koa but a win for the B Corp movement. The recognition marks Koa’s continued investment in tackling poverty in the cocoa supply chain and strengthening rural communities through job creation. Koa joining the B Corp community signals a shift towards greater accountability and transparency in the cocoa sector.”
Founded in 2017, Koa is disrupting the cocoa industry through its innovative upcycling of the cocoa fruit. Koa is the first company in West Africa to have unlocked a new value chain around the so far discarded cocoa pulp and worldwide the first cocoa fruit brand to become a B Corp. Working closely with cocoa smallholders, Koa reduces on-farm food waste around the cocoa fruit, generates additional farmer income and creates new jobs in rural communities. At the same time, Koa brings unique new ingredients to the food and beverage industry for applications ranging from chocolate and confectionery to ice cream or drinks.
Addressing opportunities for improvement
“We are proud to receive this certification, especially since we’re the third B Corp which has its major operations in Ghana, and we’ve been only five years in business,” says Francis Appiagyei-Poku, Finance and Administration Director at Koa in Ghana. “While we have proven to meet B Lab’s high standards, it’s still important to us that we strive for continuous improvement.”
As a water-intensive sector, agriculture poses risks such as water stress or depletion of local water sources if water use is not appropriately managed. Koa’s production process in the factory requires substantial amounts of water and energy for logistics, cooling and cleaning. Koa is therefore constantly improving the infrastructure to reduce resource usage such as investing in a rainwater harvesting system.
Besides environmental improvements, Koa is actively training its workforce for an international environment. Koa is committed to having more women and minorities in leadership positions since diversity is at the core of its business and the team aims to set an example beyond the sector it works in.
Living Wage is embedded within wider set of responsible pay practices aimed at creating equal opportunities and building a more inclusive society
Firmenich, one of the world’s largest privately-owned fragrance and taste companies, announces it has achieved living wage certification across all of its global operations. Firmenich is the second company in the world and the first in its industry to achieve this milestone, ensuring decent living standards for employees globally. Following a rigorous external assessment by Fair Wage Network, a widely recognised international NGO, the Group was awarded this pioneering certification three years ahead of its target completion date.
“I am very proud that Firmenich is one of only two companies worldwide to have succeeded in securing living wage certification,” said Gilbert Ghostine, CEO Firmenich. “As a critical pillar of our inclusive capitalism model, our progressive approach aims at creating a positive impact for all our stakeholders, and our employees are key to making us thrive as a responsible business. Ensuring that people, wherever they are, earn a living wage is a critical step towards building a more equitable and inclusive workplace and society. Fair Wage Network recognizes our concrete achievements in embedding fair compensation across our Group and I am particularly pleased this is raising the standard in our industry. I hope this inspires other organisations to join our efforts.”
“Firmenich continues to set the standard for excellence in the world of work, and our holistic strategy aims at securing equity and inclusion across the entire organisation. Building on achievements such as our EDGE certification, our no gender pay gap policy, equal representation on the Executive Committee, and a culture of diversity and inclusion, this certification will further strengthen Firmenich’s profile as a leading global employer,” said Mieke Van de Capelle, Chief Human Resources Officer at Firmenich. “Having reached this milestone already today, we will now further accelerate our efforts, partnering with suppliers to ensure that fair wage practices become the standard to do business together.”
The notion of a living wage is embedded within a wider set of responsible pay practices and principles already in place at Firmenich, such as fairness, equality and performance rewards. Living wage certification reinforces the Group’s equitable culture and helps to stimulate economic growth with benefits for its employees, and the wider community.
In 2021, Firmenich committed to providing a certified living wage to 100 % of employees globally by 2025. Having achieved this goal already today, Firmenich is engaged in driving strong practices on living wage across the value chain in collaboration with its customers and suppliers. Training for 100 major suppliers on human rights will include 10 new initiatives at source, including focus on women’s empowerment, education, human rights practices and living wage.
Firmenich is an active member in living wage initiatives, including the UN Global Compact Decent Work in Supply Chain platform; IDH (The Sustainable Trade Initiative); Sustainable Vanilla Initiative (SVI); and the Juice Covenant on the juice value chain. The Group has also been recognized by the United Nations Global Compact and will assume from June 2022 a global leadership position at the Labor and Decent Work Global Compact platform.
