Packaging·5 min read
Refillable Packaging Gets Its Second Act
Refillable packaging — left for dead after Loop's retreat from US grocery in 2023 — is quietly returning through in-store refill stations rather than mail-back systems.
May 21, 2026
Section
Packaging
Packaging design, materials, and sustainability.
Latest packaging signals
Packaging·5 min read
Apeel-Style Edible Coatings Quietly Reshape Produce Economics
Plant-based edible coatings extending produce shelf life by 2–3x are moving from avocados to cucumbers, citrus, and berries.
May 21, 2026
Packaging·5 min read
Smart Packaging Sensors Move Into Fresh Meat
Color-changing freshness indicator labels — long promised, rarely shipped — are appearing on US fresh meat and seafood packaging this year, driven by Walmart and Kroger pilots.
May 20, 2026
Packaging·5 min read
Smart Packaging Begins Tailoring Food to the Buyer
QR-coded packaging with personalization layers — allergens, macros, lifestyle filters — moves from pilot to mainstream rollout.
May 20, 2026
Packaging·5 min read
Compostable Coffee Pods Finally Work
A new generation of PHA-based compostable coffee pods is finally delivering on the decade-old promise: home-compostable, full flavor, full pressure compatibility.
May 20, 2026
Packaging·5 min read
Refillable Packaging Gets Its Second Try
Refillable packaging is back, smaller and smarter, and this time the math might actually work.
May 20, 2026
Packaging·5 min read
Compostable Takeout Mandates Force Operator Rethink
Compostable takeout mandates are spreading — and the math for operators is harder than the policy debate suggested.
May 18, 2026
Packaging·6 min read
Compostable Packaging's Reality Check Has Arrived
PFAS bans, weak composting infrastructure, and shopper confusion are forcing brands to walk back compostable claims they made three years ago.
May 13, 2026
Packaging·4 min read
New Packaging Mandates Force CPG to Rethink Materials
A wave of EPR legislation in the U.S. is reshaping how packaged food companies design and source materials.
May 3, 2026