Spokesperson: Winnie Muheling, Director of Marketing & Communications at Pro Carton

Global Recycling Day is an opportunity to recognise how recycling powers circularity in practice – closing the loop between production, consumption, and regeneration. The latest Pro Carton European Consumer Packaging Perceptions Survey, released this month, confirms that consumers increasingly view “ease of recycling” as the number one priority when it comes to sustainable packaging, and, by extension, of brand trust.

Our 2026 research found that more than one in three Europeans have switched brands due to packaging concerns (37 %), while ease of recycling has become the top packaging requirement for 64 % of Europeans. This clear signal shows how packaging has moved from being a functional protection to a driver of product value, perception, and loyalty.

What’s especially encouraging is that consumers are backing up their expectations with action. Almost six in ten Europeans (59 %) say they are recycling more household waste, while 62 % believe recycling is one of the most effective ways to combat climate change.

Fibre-based materials such as cartonboard have become a clear favourite and now command 87 % consumer trust when it comes to successful recycling – more than any other material – and 84 % of Europeans say they would prefer cartonboard over plastic when given the choice.

Even in a cost-of-living context, where affordability remains an important factor in purchasing decisions, sustainability and recyclability are still key priorities. This alignment between environmental values and economic realities shows how important circular solutions are for today’s consumer. As we celebrate Global Recycling Day, one message stands out: accelerating circularity depends on collective trust – in materials, systems, and the brands that help make recycling work for people and the planet.

The European PET Bottle Platform (EPBP), a leading industry initiative dedicated to advancing the circular economy within the PET bottle value chain, announced the launch of its Circularity Test Protocol. This new protocol marks a pivotal milestone in supporting the PET value chain efforts toward sustainable development and resource efficiency.

Meeting ambitious environmental goals

The launch of the Circularity Test Protocol provides industry stakeholders with a powerful tool to meet ambitious environmental targets. EPBP’s Design for Recyclability Test Protocol already aligns with the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and the Circularity Test Protocol can be seen as the next evolution towards true circularity.

“With this new protocol, EPBP reinforces its commitment to fostering sustainable packaging innovations that embody true circularity,” said Antoon Spiessens, co-chair of EPBP representing UNESDA.

“This protocol offers industry stakeholders a reliable framework to assess and improve the circularity of PET bottles during their R&D phase,” said John McClelland, co-chair of EPBP representing PETCORE EUROPE.

Advancing circularity in PET recycling

Circularity is defined as maximising resource use, minimising waste, extending product lifespans and enabling effective recycling, and forms the cornerstone of European Union (EU) policies and packaging legislation. The Circularity Test Protocol is designed to simulate multiple recycling loops and better address the evolving needs of the PET industry as the content of recycled PET (rPET) increases under EU policies and associated legislation.

Transitioning to the Circularity Test Protocol

EPBP will initially offer both test protocols to applicants seeking a recyclability or circularity assessment. EPBP will collaborate with relevant stakeholders to establish a transition period for the newly developed PET Circularity Protocol and its associated design guidelines. This transition period will enable the industry to prepare for the new design-for-circularity guidelines. These will be announced by EPBP in the near future.

During this transition period, applicants may choose whether to validate their packaging innovations based on either the recyclability or circularity protocols. However, EPBP strongly encourages applicants to begin adopting the circularity protocol. Innovations successfully validated under the recyclability protocol may face challenges when reassessed against the circularity protocol, emphasizing the importance of early adoption.

For over 17 years, EPBP has played a vital role in providing design-for-recycling (DfR) guidelines and evaluating innovative PET bottle packaging solutions based on the PET Recyclability Test Protocol to ensure the production of high-quality recycled PET (rPET). EPBP is proud to be a liaison organisation with the Technical Committee on Packaging within the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN). EPBP actively contributes to the development of standards and the exchange of best practices across the industry. Evolving the PET test protocol from recyclability to circularity will provide the value chain with a clearer direction in the future, considering the reality of multi-loop recycling.

EPBP remains dedicated to facilitating the understanding and adoption of PET innovations that support recycling efficiency, contributing to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future.