Amcor, one of the world’s largest packaging companies, has announced a new initiative to expand its portfolio of recyclable flexible packaging solutions in Europe. The company unveiled a high-barrier, mono-material laminate designed to meet the rigorous recyclability requirements of upcoming EU legislation, while maintaining the performance standards demanded by customers in sectors like snacks, coffee, and dairy.

The new solution, branded as Amcor PrimeCycle™, is a polyethylene-based laminate that offers excellent barrier properties against oxygen and moisture. This development is part of Amcor’s broader commitment to making all of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025 — a goal aligned with the European Union’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR).

According to the company, PrimeCycle™ has been independently certified as recyclable according to the CEFLEX D4ACE guidelines, which are fast becoming the standard for recyclable flexible packaging in Europe. By using only polyethylene layers, the structure eliminates the challenges typically posed by multi-material films that hinder mechanical recycling.

Gérard Blatrix, Vice President of R&D for Amcor Flexibles EMEA, emphasized the significance of this launch: “Delivering packaging that combines high-performance functionality with recyclability has been a key challenge in our industry. With PrimeCycle™, we provide a drop-in solution that meets our customers' sustainability goals without compromising product protection.”

“We are not only responding to regulatory pressures, but actively helping to build the recycling infrastructure of tomorrow,” Blatrix added. “This innovation supports a circular economy by ensuring materials can flow back into the loop.”

Amcor’s launch comes at a pivotal time, as the EU intensifies its focus on waste reduction and extended producer responsibility. Under the new PPWR framework, packaging will soon be required to demonstrate recyclability in practice and at scale. PrimeCycle™ was engineered with this principle in mind, making it compatible with existing mechanical recycling streams for polyethylene films.

Beyond recyclability, the packaging maintains high sealing integrity and can be used on standard filling and sealing lines, reducing the need for production changes. It is suitable for a wide range of dry food and personal care products, further broadening its market appeal.

This innovation also aligns with Amcor’s partnerships across the recycling and resin supply chain. By working closely with resin producers, recyclers, and industry groups, Amcor ensures that PrimeCycle™ performs effectively in both production environments and real-world recycling scenarios.

The company is currently scaling up production and making the laminate available to customers across Europe, with global rollouts expected in the near future. As part of its sustainability roadmap, Amcor continues to invest in R&D and collaboration to meet the evolving needs of customers and regulators.

As demand for circular packaging solutions intensifies, Amcor’s PrimeCycle™ represents a practical and scalable step toward closing the loop in flexible packaging — and sets a benchmark for innovation in one of the packaging industry’s most complex segments.