EUROSAC Congress 2025: Envisioning the paper sacks of tomorrow
In May, more than 130 industry professionals convened in Thessaloniki, Greece, for the EUROSAC Congress 2025. Under the theme “Envisioning the paper sacks of tomorrow,” the event featured expert presentations, dynamic discussions and valuable networking opportunities. Key topics included regulatory developments, paper sack recycling, and the necessary behavioural changes.
“We are living in complex times shaped by geo-economic challenges,” said Alessandro Selmin, EUROSAC President, at the opening. “That makes platforms like the congress all the more vital to address key industry issues and shape the future through our members’ commitment and our organisation’s strength.”
After a sharp decline in 2023, the European paper sack market showed signs of recovery in 2024. Deliveries rose by 2.2% to 5.32 billion units. Growth was strongest in food products (excluding milk powder) at +6.8%, followed by animal feed and chemical products (both +6.2%). While cement, milk powder and minerals continued to decline, the drop slowed, pointing to stabilisation. The building materials segment (excluding cement) also contributed with a 3.1% increase. A glimpse into the first quarter of 2025 suggests an even more solid upward trend with increases across all sectors.
Preparing for the latest EU legislation
Regulatory developments remain a driving force in the industry. Laura Mazzei from CITPA provided an overview of current legislative policy trends shaping the industry, such as the 2050 decarbonisation goal and the need to retain resources longer in the economy. Her message: packaging must be functional, designed for recycling, and adapted to increasing legal complexity.
Ulrika Wedberg and Robert Torstensson from Billerud outlined challenges and practical steps to prepare for the European Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). A subsequent round table gave insights into paper sack recycling initiatives across various European countries. The participants received an update on market trends, recent EU legislation, strategies for initiating behavioural change, and a glance at the latest developments for paper sacks.
The industry has set up an alliance involving over 70 companies from across the entire construction value chain and 180 construction sites, aiming to advance circularity through multi-material recycling and scalable pilot projects. The key takeaway: circularity doesn’t happen by itself – but with cross-industry collaboration, it can be transformed into a viable business model.
Driving sustainability with behavioural strategies
Especially when it comes to driving circularity, the industry faces the challenge of motivating various stakeholders to actively support paper sack recycling. Sam Gray from RARE Europe introduced behaviour-centred design as a powerful approach to tackling sustainability challenges. Instead of relying on regulations, financial incentives or information campaigns, Gray highlighted the need to understand the psychological and social context behind human behaviour.
People tend to respond more positively to emotional appeals like pride, rather than guilt or shame. They are more likely to adopt behaviours that seem easy and are already practiced by others. Gray’s clear message: “Make the right choice the easy choice.”
Paper sacks vs. WPP sacks – a comparative view
The role of 50 kg woven polypropylene (WPP) cement sacks in countries outside Europe was compared to paper-based alternatives. Thomas Hilling from Haver & Boecker and Dominik Wörsdörfer from Windmöller & Hölscher shared insights into market developments, production, applications, handling and technical performance.
According to their observations, paper sack production requires three times less space, generates three times less waste, uses only 20% of the energy, and just one-tenth of the manpower compared to WPP sack production.
Complementing this, Elin Gordon from CEPI Eurokraft presented findings from a recent lab study comparing filling speed, product loss, dust generation and carbon footprint across both packaging types. The results clearly highlight the advantages of paper sacks: they can be filled 21% faster, reduce product loss by a factor of four, generate only a third of the dust and only half the carbon footprint in comparison with WPP sacks.
