PACKAGING INNOVATION AND REGULATION IN LATIN AMERICA

Latin America is getting ready to become a global leader in sustainable packaging. For instance, in Colombia and Brazil, major corporations are investing in advanced technology to produce food-grade rPET. The sector in the region is questioning commonly held beliefs about how the packaging and recycling industries “should” work. For instance, it is common there to have returnable and refillable soda bottles, which allow consumers to purchase products at a lower price in exchange for returning the empty bottle to be refilled and reused again. Regulatory frameworks are also driving the development of low-impact packaging. Mexico, Chile, and Colombia are at the forefront, and ultimately such packaging regulations in Latin America are driving a transformation in the food packaging sector. To overcome limited access to high-quality recycled materials and high initial modernization costs, many businesses are forming partnerships with local recyclers and industry associations. How to overcome the challenges in the region and take advantage of its potentialities? We have contacts in the industry and correspondents in several countries in the region.