New Packaging Powerhouse Puts Science First

Amcor’s merger with Berry Global ignites a new era in circular, recyclable packaging research

7 Nov 2025

When Amcor completed its $10bn acquisition of Berry Global in April 2025, the move was framed as more than a merger of packaging giants. It was, executives said, a bid to fuse Amcor’s global research network with Berry’s deep materials expertise to accelerate progress toward cleaner, circular packaging.

The new Amcor Berry organisation now operates one of the largest R&D systems in the packaging world, spanning consumer, healthcare and food markets. Its focus is on practical innovation: recyclable mono-materials that can replace mixed plastics, compostable coatings that preserve shelf life, and polymers that perform well yet degrade safely. The ambition is to turn promising laboratory experiments into commercial-scale materials that meet tightening global sustainability standards.

Much of the work is being framed around circular design principles. Research teams are developing packaging that can be recovered, reused or biodegraded without compromising performance or safety. Laboratories in North America, Europe and Asia are being linked into a single network, intended to speed the exchange of data and prototypes. Partnerships with universities, suppliers and regulators aim to make the results both scientifically sound and commercially viable.

The timing is convenient. Governments in the United States and Europe are expanding Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) rules, which make firms accountable for the waste their products generate. That regulatory push, along with consumer pressure for greener packaging, is forcing the industry to adapt faster. Analysts reckon that the combined company’s scale and R&D heft give it a lead in shaping materials that comply with new rules while keeping costs down.

“Science-led innovation will define the future of packaging,” said an Amcor research executive. “By uniting our teams, we’re expanding the boundaries of what sustainable materials can do.”

Bringing together research programmes spread across three continents will not be easy. Integration of teams, processes and intellectual property often proves slower than promised. Yet the merger marks a decisive turn for an industry long criticised for its environmental footprint. For scientists and engineers, it offers something rarer: a chance to apply advanced materials research at industrial scale. If successful, Amcor Berry could set a new standard for how global packaging firms combine sustainability with science.