The complete packaging architecture Circularity does not depend solely on the primary material. Adhesives, inks, coatings, additives, and barrier layers can influence the structure’s behavior during recycling. This opens up new R&D&i opportunities in formulation, printing, coatings, and separation and delamination technologies. It will also be necessary to improve the efficiency of mechanical recycling processes through more precise sorting and separation systems, optimized washing, and contaminant removal. Advanced recycling can complement these solutions for certain complex waste streams. However, its implementation will also depend on raw material availability, yield, quality, energy consumption, and regulatory conditions. Reuse and digitalization Reuse presents a systemic challenge, extending beyond mere container design. A reusable package must maintain its performance characteristics across successive cycles and be compatible with collection, cleaning, reconditioning, refilling, and return processes. In the food sector, these operations must also guarantee safety and hygiene standards. Digitalization provides another key element. Ensuring the traceability of materials, composition, recycled content, and end-of-life management will require interoperable and verifiable information systems. The Digital Product Passport introduced by the ESPR points in this direction, while digital technologies can also optimize industrial processes, maintenance, energy consumption, and production line adaptability. A technology roadmap for packaging The diversity of challenges calls for a shared vision of innovation. This is the context for the *Strategic Innovation Agenda for Packaging in Spain 2026–2030*, coordinated and led by Packnet with the participation of over 65 entities from across the value chain. The Agenda provides a technical framework to guide R&D&i based on criteria such as technological maturity, scientific evidence, and industrial scalability. Its eight innovation areas cover materials and formats; waste prevention; labeling, marking, and information; reuse and refilling; effective recyclability; digitalization for circularity; Industry 4.0 applied to machinery and processes; and consumer engagement. Its approach reflects an industrial reality: none of these transformations can be tackled in isolation. Materials, machinery, eco-design, recycling, logistics, and digitalization must evolve in a coordinated manner. The roadmap organizes innovation lines based on regulatory urgency and technological maturity, with a clear focus on implementation. From the laboratory to the market The major challenge lies in bridging the gap between innovation and industrial implementation. A high Technology Readiness Level (TRL) does not in itself guarantee a solution’s viability; success also requires infrastructure, raw material supplies, investment, economic viability, and appropriate regulatory and market conditions. This necessitates a shift from isolated R&D projects toward collaborative models that link research, technology, industry, regulation, and the market. European, national, regional, and private funding will be key enablers in supporting the various stages, from research through to scaling up. A shift in the approach to packaging The new European regulatory framework is accelerating technological decisions regarding materials, design, processing, reuse, recycling, and traceability. For the industry, the challenge lies in anticipating these changes and translating them into technological and industrial capabilities. The packaging that reaches the market in 2030 is being defined, to a large extent, by the R&D&i decisions made today. The question is no longer just which material to use, but how to combine material, structure, production processes, usage systems, logistics, and end-of-life management to meet technical, environmental, and economic requirements. Ultimately, the transformation of packaging requires a systemic view of its entire lifecycle. In this context, the *Strategic Agenda for Packaging Innovation in Spain 2026–2030* provides a framework for setting priorities, identifying gaps, and guiding technological investment. Its dynamic nature will also allow for adaptation to evolving regulations, technologies, and market conditions. In short, the challenge for the Spanish industry will be to turn the new regulatory landscape into a technological strategy capable of accelerating the transition from knowledge and experimentation to scalable, competitive, and verifiable solutions. 35 TEMA CENTRAL I MAIN TOPIC
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