EUROSAC Congress 2026 highlights growth, innovation and regulatory opportunities for the paper sack industry
More than 160 industry professionals gathered in Bordeaux, France, for the 2026 edition of the EUROSAC Congress, held under the theme “Turning regulation into opportunities”. The event focused on how evolving legislation, sustainability requirements and circular economy initiatives can serve as catalysts for innovation, competitiveness and long-term growth across the paper sack industry.
Opening the congress, EUROSAC President Alessandro Selmin highlighted the increasingly complex environment in which the sector operates, shaped by regulatory changes, economic uncertainty and geopolitical developments. “Regulatory, economic and geopolitical developments are creating unprecedented complexity for our industry,” said Selmin. “In this rapidly changing environment, EUROSAC is the place to be. By connecting industry leaders, sharing knowledge and engaging on key issues at the European level, we help to transform challenges into opportunities. The growing participation in our congress and the increasing membership of our association give us every reason to be confident about the future.”
During the congress, Selmin was re-elected President of EUROSAC for a further two-year term.
Positive market performance despite economic challenges
The European paper sack market continued to demonstrate resilience throughout 2025. Deliveries increased by 2.7% to reach 5.69 billion units, reflecting solid demand across several key market segments. The strongest growth was recorded in food products (+5.4%), milk powder (+6.3%) and building materials excluding cement (+2.2%). Italy remained the largest market for paper sacks in Europe, followed by Germany and Turkey.
While the first quarter of 2026 showed a slight decline in overall deliveries of 1.4%, certain sectors continued to perform strongly. Building materials maintained positive momentum and milk powder applications recorded significant growth across all major markets, demonstrating the resilience of these sectors despite a challenging economic backdrop.
A similar pattern was observed in the United States, where domestic paper sack shipments increased by 2.2% during 2025 before declining by 3.6% during the first quarter of 2026.
Regulation driving innovation and competitiveness
A central theme throughout the congress was the impact of European legislation on the future of packaging markets. Roberta Colotta from Flexible Packaging Europe examined the implications of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), explaining how the legislation is accelerating the transition towards a more circular economy and creating opportunities for sustainable packaging solutions.
According to Colotta, paper sacks are already well positioned to meet many of the objectives promoted by the regulation, particularly regarding recyclability, efficient resource use and circularity. The broader international context was explored by Bernard Lombard of CEPI, who discussed geopolitical developments and changing global trade flows affecting the European pulp and paper sector. Lombard stressed the importance of maintaining a competitive and resilient European industry capable of operating successfully in an increasingly complex global marketplace while ensuring fair competition.
Sustainability and circular economy remain key priorities
Delegates also received updates on several collaborative projects supporting the paper sack industry’s sustainability ambitions. Among the initiatives discussed were the latest Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) and carbon footprint studies, progress on the sector’s net-zero roadmap, developments within the Construction Goes Circular initiative and the introduction of a new carbon footprint calculator designed to help companies assess and improve their environmental performance.
The transition towards a more circular economy was further explored by Arne Jost from CEFLEX, who highlighted the importance of packaging design in improving circularity. According to Jost, the path towards truly circular flexible packaging starts with product design. He emphasised that advances in recycling technologies and growing demand for recycled content must be accompanied by continuous improvements in packaging design to maximise material recovery and resource efficiency.
Communication as a strategic business tool
The congress also addressed the importance of communication in an evolving business environment. Communication expert Andrea Vilallonga delivered a presentation focused on how organisations can communicate more effectively during periods of change. She highlighted that successful communication depends not only on the content of a message but also on how it is delivered and perceived by stakeholders.
Her presentation underlined the growing role of communication in building trust, supporting transformation processes and helping organisations translate strategic objectives into concrete actions.
The discussions throughout the congress reflected a common conclusion: while regulatory requirements and market changes continue to create challenges, they also offer significant opportunities for innovation, sustainability and long-term competitiveness within the paper sack industry.
