Finat Label Forum | 51Delegates gather for the Finat European Label Forum in Baveno, ItalyFinat unites European industry at ELF 2022This year’s European Label Forum, the frst in-person ELF event since the pandemic struck, covered the critical challenges faced by label converters in a post-lockdown world. Andy Thomas-Emans reports n June, 350 Finat members gathered in the beautiful lakeside “The most signifcant gains were setting of Baveno, Italy, for the frst time since the Covid pandemic struck in 2020. Iposted by converters in Central Finat managing director Jules Lejeune kicked off proceedings with a comprehensive survey of the last two years. The multiple impacts and Southern Europe, followed by of Covid, strikes in the paper industry, chip shortages and the Ukraine War have all severely impacted the label industry supply UK and Ireland”chain. ‘The direct suppliers to the industry cannot get the raw materials they need from further up the supply chain, so this is not when they get home.a problem that can be quickly fxed.’ ‘As on-the-go consumption returns, consumers will look for Finat’s annual materials survey showed the European labels both convenience and hygiene, and we are already seeing snacking industry growing at a healthy 7 percent through 2021 — more products released using anti-microbial coatings or incorporating than double the growth rate of 2020 — with non-paper rolls anti-bacterial wipes,’ said Punchard.growing at more than 9 percent. Southern Europe saw the highest Mintel’s research found consumers more focused on long-life growth rates (9.5 percent, up 2.8 percent on 2020) and eastern products and limiting time spent in stores, prioritizing larger pack Europe (9.6 percent, up an impressive 6.9 percent on 2020). sizes and turning to ambient products. Finat’s annual Radar survey shows that European label converters Packaging sustainability is a key concern for consumers, with posted average sales growth of 9.2 percent in 2021, just under a marked preference for non-plastic containers. This has sparked double that of 2020, although there were signifcant regional innovations in the paper/board category with the launch of new differences. Eastern European converters saw sales growth drop by technical papers for pouches, tubes, sachets and even paper bottles.almost one-third in 2021 compared to 2020, while Scandinavian The plastics industry has responded with more sustainable converters saw sales growth plummet from 9.2 percent to 5.3 ocean-collected plastics or bottles and labels that incorporate more percent. The most signifcant gains were posted by converters in recycled material. central and southern Europe, followed by UK and Ireland. The fexible packaging industry also has a negative sustainability The Radar report shows food and beverage sectors growing the image among consumers, said Punchard, and has responded with fastest at more than 8 percent in 2021, closely followed by retail the development of ‘technically recyclable’ materials, such as the at 7.5 percent, transport and logistics at 6.5 percent, personal care mono-material HDPE pouches used by Reckitt Benckiser for its at 5.9 percent, with pharma and household chemicals at just over dishwasher tablets, or with recyclable PP replacing a non-recyclable 4 percent. Industrial chemicals and consumer durables posted multilayer structure.respectable growth rates of 3.1 percent and 2.8 percent. The only Matthias Vollherbst, CEO of German converter VollherbstDruck, sector to decline growth was, predictably, automotive, which shrank called on delegates to adopt sustainability ‘heart and soul.’by 1.4 percent. He described the sustainability initiatives implemented by The Radar survey looked at capital equipment buying intentions Vollherbst over the last two years, including a complete switch and predicts that 33 percent of the Finat converter sample intend to renewable energy, a 22 percent reduction in water usage, to buy digital presses in 2023, against 19 percent for this year. For eliminating paper from the ordering process and reducing conventional presses, a buying spike of 29 percent last year was materials waste by 15 percent. The company is a beta tester for reduced to 14 percent of the sample in 2023. the Ecoleaf metallization process, which eliminates foil waste and promotes wash-off adhesives to remove adhesive residue from Consumer trends reusable glass containers. Vollherbst has adopted a zero-to landfll The Baveno ELF was packed with actionable data on consumer policy for all its consumables wastes, focusing strongly on liner trends. Benjamin Punchard, global packaging director at Mintel, collection and recycling.made the observation that the Covid pandemic has instilled a deep fear of contamination in consumers. For example, almost half of All bases coveredItalian consumers reported that they regularly disinfect shopping The Baveno ELF covered a wide range of topics of immediate Jul - Sep 2022