Responsible Packaging Expo to showcase sustainable developments in hospitality industry

On the 15th & 16th of October this year, Responsible Packaging Expo is set to return to ExCeL London. This event is devised as a showcase, celebration, and educational exhibition focused on sustainability in hospitality, emphasising eco-friendly developments within food and drink packaging.

The show couldn’t come at a better time, with the importance and prevalence of sustainable packaging at an all-time high. In recent years, sustainable consumption has become essential to many modern lifestyles. While choices like going vegan or eschewing flights are difficult for many, people are generally happier to put their money where their mouth is with sustainable packaging choices.

That’s why so many hotels, eateries, bars, and cafes are making the shift toward more responsible packaging materials and techniques. The most obvious ways that this shift is being made tend to come in the form of more eco-friendly materials being used for packaging. By now, we’ve all had a coffee or meal served in a recyclable cardboard cup or box. However, there’s much more to these materials than paper products alone.

In recent years, we’ve also seen a shift to bio-based plastic and increased usage of glass, with more suppliers and consumers alike choosing to bypass traditional single-use plastic altogether. Another development we’re seeing more and more commonly is a move toward plant-based, non-plastics, like takeaway food containers made primarily from wheat.

Another sustainable development is the transition towards functional packaging and minimalist packaging. In these cases, the materials in question aren’t necessarily any more sustainable than they might have been traditionally, however, their usage is minimised, resulting in reduced waste.

There are also packaging developments being made in terms of the broader technology in use. This includes things like time-temperature indicators, oxygen scavengers, and more sustainable RFID tags. These developments are all helping to reduce food waste and the overall environmental impact of packaging. In some cases, we’re even seeing increased use of edible packaging!

Responsible Packaging Expo on the 15th & 16th of October is a three-pillar exhibition focused on platforming all of these developments and more. The first pillar of the show is the business exhibitions – with hall space dedicated to trade show booths for sustainable hospitality packaging companies. Visitors to this section will be able to browse the latest responsible packaging solutions within the hospitality industry, meet business owners firsthand, and see product demonstrations in person.

The second primary element of the show is its educational aspect, with guest speakers and seminars sharing insights about sustainable practices in hospitality. These speeches will be delivered by representatives from leading organisations and upcoming industry figures alike, offering a broad range of perspectives on this sector.

At the core of the event is its pillar of networking, which is amplified by its colocation with 6 other related Expos, under the banner of The Hospitality B2B Portfolio. Within this umbrella event, thousands of hospitality professionals from every corner of the industry come together to converse, talk shop, and build connections. This allows visitors to see the connectivity between the different sectors within this field. The Portfolio will also feature a dedicated sustainability trail, putting the spotlight on particularly sustainable and eco-friendly hospitality solutions, which is where many of the exhibitors in Responsible Packaging Expo will be found.

Professionals from packaging and hospitality alike are expected to attend this show in their thousands, making it one of the UK’s most exciting industry events of the year. If you’re interested in attending Responsible Packaging Expo, you can register for free tickets right here.