34TEMA CENTRAL I MAIN TOPIC midor y marca. El packaging deja de terminar en la compra y continúa formando parte de la experiencia del producto. Del envase al ecosistema Quizá el cambio más importante no sea tecnológico, sino conceptual. Durante años el packaging se desarrollaba como un proyecto independiente. Hoy debe integrarse desde el inicio con I+D, compras, sostenibilidad, regulatory, operaciones, marketing, logística y comunicación. Tal y como pudimos concluir de las actividades celebradas desde el Beauty Cluster en el marco de la Beauty Sustainability Week (29 jun-3 jul 2026), las decisiones sobre un tapón, una bomba, un material o una etiqueta pueden afectar simultáneamente a la reciclabilidad, al coste industrial, a la huella de carbono, al cumplimiento regulatorio, a la percepción del consumidor y al posicionamiento de la marca. El envase deja así de ser un elemento aislado para convertirse en una pieza central de la estrategia empresarial. España cuenta con uno de los ecosistemas cosméticos más dinámicos de Europa y una cadena de valor del packaging especialmente innovadora. Porque el packaging cosmético ya no se limita a proteger una fórmula. Empieza a explicar cómo una empresa entiende la innovación, la circularidad y la relación que quiere construir con sus consumidores. For many years, cosmetic packaging has been understood as an element intended to protect the product, convey brand identity, and attract consumers at the point of sale. Today, that view is outdated. Packaging has become one of the main areas where regulation, innovation, sustainability, user experience, and brand positioning converge. Never before has packaging had to simultaneously respond to so many technical and strategic challenges. The arrival of the European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), the development of the Ecodesign Regulation (ESPR), and the future implementation of the Digital Product Passport (DPP) are forcing a rethinking of decisions that, just a few years ago, were based solely on aesthetic or cost criteria. But reducing this moment to a regulatory issue would be a mistake. The real transformation is being driven by a consumer who no longer just asks if packaging is recyclable. They are beginning to ask if it is actually recycled. From “100% Recyclable“to”Prove It” The latest Mintel studies reflect a significant shift in consumer perception. For years, recycling has been the main environmental argument used by brands. However, trust in the system is declining. Consumers perceive that many technically recyclable packages never actually get recycled, leading to a growing demand for transparency and tangible evidence. This evolution forces a rethink of communication. Simply including an environmental claim is no longer enough. It will be necessary to explain the packaging’s journey, its composition, the actual percentage of recycled material used, reuse or refill options, and the final destination of the materials. The direct consequence of this new scenario is that packaging must be designed from the outset considering its entire life cycle. This implies moving towards single-material structures, facilitating component separation, increasing recycled content, reducing weight and volume, incorporating refill systems when they provide a real environmental benefit, and preparing packaging to integrate digital information using 2D or PDP codes. In this context, materials that seemed experimental just a few years ago are now gaining prominence. In recent editions of Luxe Pack, we’ve seen solutions developed from plant fibers, structural paper, reclaimed sediments, reused flowers, biomaterials such as those derived from mycelium, and components made entirely from recyclable aluminum, along with a clear commitment to simplifying materials and eliminating elements that are difficult to recycle. Not all of these solutions will become industry standards, but they clearly demonstrate the direction in which innovation is evolving. El nuevo packaging cosmético: cuando el envase deja de ser un coste para convertirse en una ventaja competitiva The new cosmetic packaging: when packaging stops being a cost and becomes a competitive advantage Melissa Torres- Talent, People & Beauty Business School Director, Sustainibility Beauty Cluster
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