Amcor’s efficient new factory in Bharuch, Gujarat, in the Western region of India started operations this week after an official ceremonial event in October with executives from both companies. As part of a seven-year agreement with Unilever signed in 2017, Amcor, the global packaging leader, made a substantial investment to build and equip the state-of-the-art Bharuch plant. “Across all home-care categories, consumers in India are choosing products with packaging that provide them with the most convenience,” said Michael Zacka, president of Amcor Flexibles Asia Pacific, who attended the ceremony. Click read more below for additional detail.

Americans are increasingly transitioning away from single-use plastics in favor of sustainable paper food packaging, according to new data released by Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) from the 2018 Paper & Packaging Consumer Trends Report. The report found that nearly two thirds (64 percent) of Americans say they prefer paper food packaging over plastic or Styrofoam. Furthermore, more than half (51 percent) agree that paper food packaging is as high quality as the latter materials. “Americans’ preference for paper continues to grow at a time when improving environmental health is top of mind for consumers,” said Ian Lifshitz, vice president of sustainability and stakeholder relations, APP. “Consumers are receptive to brands that are favoring recyclable, compostable or reusable paper materials in place of single-use plastics which can be harmful to natural ecosystems.” Click read more below for additional detail.