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ProSweets Cologne 2025: Focus on sustainable packaging

ProSweets Cologne 2025 focuses on sustainable packaging solutions and their role in the fight against food waste.

ProSweets Cologne and ISM will take place from 2 to 5 February 2025 as part of „Sweet Week“. These events bring together manufacturers of confectionery and snacks with suppliers to discuss sustainable packaging solutions and their role in the fight against food waste. 

With around 250 exhibitors, including companies such as PAPACKS Sales GmbH, Kreatif Kutu San ve Tic A.S. and WRH Industries LLC, a wide range of innovative packaging solutions will be presented at the Cologne exhibition centre.

The confectionery and snack market is diverse and ranges from hard caramel, gummy bears and chocolate to vegan and gluten-free snacks. Even outside of public holidays such as Christmas or Easter, retailers are increasingly focussing on sustainable packaging that reduces plastic or is fully recyclable.

Focus on sustainable packaging solutions

The trade fair will focus on solutions such as monomaterials made of PP or PE, which are easier to recycle than conventional laminates. These materials are particularly suitable for stand-up pouches used in the confectionery industry. Although they pose challenges such as lower sealing properties or greater susceptibility to tearing, these problems can be solved through technological adaptations. Thanks to plug-and-play retrofits, producers can easily switch between conventional and recyclable films.

Display

ProSweets Cologne also offers visitors the opportunity to see machines in action. For example, flow-wrapping machines and cartoning machines that can produce primary and secondary packaging from paper-based materials for chocolate bars will be presented. New ultrasonic technologies that enable the cross-sealing of recyclable monofilms will also be presented.

Packaging as a solution to food waste

A third of the food produced worldwide is lost - in the EU alone this amounts to 59 million tonnes per year. Packaging plays a crucial role in reducing food loss. It protects products from damage during transport and extends their shelf life. Studies show that packaging only contributes around 3 to 3.5 per cent to the climate impact of a product, while the majority of the environmental impact is caused by production and transport.

Single-serve packaging, which is designed for portioned quantities, can also help to minimise food waste. Machine manufacturers offer solutions that make it possible to produce this packaging efficiently and without any loss of quality.

Innovative packaging solutions

Among other things, monomaterials made of PP or PE that are recyclable and more sustainable than conventional laminates will be presented at the trade fair. Visitors will have the opportunity to experience flow-wrapping machines and cartoning machines that produce paper-based packaging live. New technologies such as ultrasonic sealing for recyclable films will also be presented.

In addition to the exhibitions, ProSweets Cologne also offers an extensive specialist programme.

A special highlight of the trade fair is the Sweets & Snacks Production Summit, organised for the first time. This summit brings together managers from the production departments exhibiting at ISM with the suppliers of ProSweets Cologne. Topics such as the use of artificial intelligence to optimise production processes will be highlighted here, as will best-practice examples of sustainable packaging solutions. Exhibitors will also have the opportunity to present their products in three-minute pitch sessions, followed by matchmaking forums in the networking area.

Intelligent automation and pick-and-place robots

In addition to the packaging materials, the technologies for handling and packaging the products are also crucial. Particularly with delicate confectionery such as biscuits or crackers, pick-and-place robots ensure that the products are carefully placed in the packaging to prevent breakage. This not only helps to reduce food waste, but also improves the efficiency of production processes.

ProSweets Cologne 2025 will be established as the central platform for suppliers to the confectionery and snack industry. With a comprehensive specialist programme on the Expert Stage and the Sweet Week Talks & Tasting Stage, the trade fair offers valuable insights into current challenges facing the industry, including rising raw material prices, a shortage of skilled workers and the slow pace of digitalisation.

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