Tosca says reusable packaging is emerging as a critical part of Europe’s supply chain infrastructure, as businesses respond to cost volatility, labour shortages and evolving packaging regulation.
European supply chains are facing increasing pressure from rising costs, labour shortages and evolving regulation. Tosca says these forces are driving a fundamental shift in how companies view packaging – from disposable consumables to reusable infrastructure assets.
Single-use packaging waste remains high, while material price volatility continues to impact operating costs. At the same time, 76 % of supply chain and logistics leaders report workforce shortages.
Regulation is adding further urgency. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes and the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) are placing greater emphasis on waste prevention, reuse, durability and lifecycle performance. As these frameworks evolve, businesses face increasing cost exposure and complexity when relying on single-use packaging.
“Packaging has long been treated as a consumable cost, but that model is becoming harder to sustain,” said Laurent Le Mercier, EMEA President at Tosca. “With regulation tightening alongside cost and labour pressures, reusable packaging is becoming core infrastructure. It enables businesses to reduce waste at source while improving cost predictability and operational resilience.”
Moving beyond single-use
Single-use packaging relies on continuous material inputs, manual handling and repeated disposal. In a volatile cost environment, these dependencies are becoming structural risks.
Reusable plastic packaging offers a different operating model. Durable assets circulate across multiple cycles, shifting organisations from cost-per-unit to predictable cost-per-use, while reducing exposure to raw material volatility and ongoing waste costs.
Pooling enables this at scale. Through managed networks, assets are collected, inspected, cleaned, repaired and redeployed, embedding packaging as a service within day-to-day operations rather than a one-off purchase.
Standardisation supports consistency across the supply chain – enabling automation, improving load stability and reducing handling complexity, damage and variability.
Supporting compliance and resilience
As regulatory requirements become more stringent, packaging decisions are increasingly linked to compliance as well as cost.
PPWR introduces new expectations around reuse targets, durability and traceability, while EPR schemes are evolving to reflect lifecycle performance and material impact. For businesses relying on single-use systems, this creates ongoing exposure to rising fees, reporting complexity and potential redesign.
Reusable packaging and pooling systems help address these requirements by reducing waste at source, supporting traceability and enabling controlled, repeatable use across multiple cycles.
In parallel, improved handling consistency and standardisation can reduce operational risk, including workplace injuries and product damage, while supporting more efficient transport and storage.
A structural shift in packaging strategy
With cost pressures persisting and regulatory scrutiny increasing, packaging is becoming a strategic decision rather than a tactical one.
Reusable packaging offers a route to stabilise costs, reduce risk and meet evolving regulatory expectations within a single system – positioning it as a core component of more resilient, future-ready supply chains.
To explore how these structural challenges are reshaping European supply chains, Tosca has launched a whitepaper, The Business Case for Reusable Transport Packaging, which explore these trends in detail.
Download the whitepaper here.
Eight cities, one topic: how Europe’s beverage markets are evolving – and how manufacturers can respond
- Exclusive tour across eight European locations
- Stable markets, shifting consumption patterns
- BrauBeviale 2026: solutions for a beverage industry under pressure to adapt
Before Europe’s beverage sector gathers in Nuremberg from 10 to 12 November 2026, BrauBeviale is heading out on the road: from April onwards, the organising team will visit eight European cities as part of the “BrauBeviale meets Europe” tour – from Copenhagen via Budapest, Warsaw and Milan through to Madrid. The aim is to discuss current market developments directly on site and to gather input from industry stakeholders. The focus is on what works in existing production environments and where manufacturers need to act to remain competitive.
Across the eight stops of the tour, market analysis, industry perspective and consumer insight come together. Markus Kosak, Executive Director at YONTEX GmbH & Co. KG, outlines current developments in the European beverage industry – both in an international context and with regard to local conditions. Representatives of the conceptual sponsor contribute the industry perspective: Kilian Kittl, Managing Director of Private Brauereien Bayern e.V., will accompany the opening stop in Copenhagen. This is complemented by insights into changing consumer behaviour.
European beverage markets: stable base, shifting consumption
In 2025, consumption and market volumes across beer, wine, spirits and non-alcoholic beverages in Europe remained at a largely constant level. “Growth and opportunities are less about increasing volume and more about developments within categories, such as different use cases and new products,” says Kosak. “This is where the dynamics lie – and where both the tour and the trade fair are focusing on this year.”
A key driver is changing consumer behaviour alongside stable volumes. According to Statista Market Insights, per capita consumption of non-alcoholic beverages reached almost 177 litres in 2025, while alcoholic beverages stood at around 73 litres. A study by Private Brauereien shows that the volume of alcohol-free beer is increasing from 2.29 to 2.5 billion litres by 2030, while alcoholic variants are declining.
Europe remains a key production location. Many companies are adapting existing facilities and expanding their product range. According to a VDMA/Euromonitor market overview, global trade in machinery for food and beverage processing and packaging totalled around 52.6 billion euros in 2023, with approximately 41 per cent accounted for by Europe.
At product level, demand is shifting towards offerings with a clear practical benefit. “Consumers increasingly expect more than just refreshment or traditional enjoyment,” says Kosak. “What matters is practical benefit. This means products that fit specific use cases and consumption occasions.” Research by market analyst thefoodpeople highlights examples from international markets, including flavoured sparkling water with new taste profiles, sugar-free or reduced-sugar energy drinks, and RTD iced tea and cold brew variants with caramel, mocha or vanilla notes. Trends such as Dubai-style creations – for example chocolate lattes with pistachio topping and kadayif garnish – are already present in the market.
BrauBeviale 2026: solutions for today’s production reality
Under the claim “All Beverages. One Future.” and with an international exhibitor share of around 50 per cent, BrauBeviale 2026 brings together all steps of beverage production. “The focus is on applications across all beverage segments that provide manufacturers with solutions they can implement in existing operations to expand their portfolios and utilise facilities more effectively,” explains Kosak.
These developments are also reflected in the supporting programme in Hall 9: on the Main Stage, Charles Nouwen will deliver a keynote on the role of beer in the context of changing consumption habits. The Pilot Area will showcase concrete projects, including systems for flexible process energy supply and data-based approaches to utilising by-products. The Discovery Bar in Hall 6 will present new beverage concepts, particularly in the non-alcoholic segment. The Wine Area in Hall 7 provides a dedicated special-interest space for exchange within the wine sector.
The programme is complemented by formats such as the European Beer Star awards ceremony, hosted by Private Brauereien, on 11 November, and the FoodBev Award on 10 November.
The exhibitor and product database will go live on 7 May 2026, offering an initial overview of the range on display. Visitor registration via the ticket shop will open at the same time as the launch of the “BrauBeviale meets Europe” tour.
