13 October 2026 | Packaging industry news
The global packaging industry is seeing notable developments in October 2026, from falling ocean freight rates and environmental policy adjustments in Europe to advances in digital printing and sustainable packaging materials. For Vietnam, these changes create opportunities to improve competitiveness while requiring businesses to adapt their technology, costs and export standards.
1. Lower international ocean freight rates send a positive signal for packaging supply chains
According to Freightos' report dated 6 October 2026, container freight rates from Asia to Northern Europe fell 3% to approximately USD 3,260 per forty-foot equivalent unit (FEU). Rates from Asia to the Mediterranean also declined 2% to around USD 3,555/FEU.
Some shipping alliances are gradually restoring services through the Red Sea, potentially shortening voyages and improving transport capacity on Asia–Europe trade routes. However, security conditions in the region remain a source of uncertainty.
Implications for the Vietnamese market
Vietnam imports some of the paper materials, chemicals, printing inks and equipment used in packaging production. If lower freight rates persist and extend to routes serving Vietnam, import costs could improve.
On the export side, producers of paper bags, paper boxes and industrial packaging may benefit indirectly as their customers' total logistics costs fall.
However, lower rates on international routes do not mean freight prices from Vietnam have fallen by the same amount. Businesses should monitor actual quotations, surcharges and delivery times before adjusting their business plans.
Source: Freightos, 6 October 2026
2. The European Union considers simplifying some EPR procedures for small businesses
On 6 October 2026, Packaging Insights reported that a European Parliament committee had backed a proposal to temporarily suspend the requirement for certain small and medium-sized businesses to appoint authorized representatives under extended producer responsibility (EPR) rules.
If adopted, the measure could reduce administrative burdens for some cross-border packaging business activities within the EU until 2035.
This is still a proposal going through the legislative process, rather than an official rule already in force.
Implications for the Vietnamese market
The EU places demanding requirements on packaging waste management, recyclability and the responsibilities of parties placing products on the market.
For Vietnamese businesses supplying packaging to European customers, control over material composition, packaging weight, coatings and technical documentation is increasingly important.
Even if some EPR procedures are simplified, this does not mean other environmental requirements will be abolished.
Vietnamese packaging producers should continue developing products that are easier to recycle, reduce unnecessary material use and improve their ability to provide compliance data to importing partners.
Source: Packaging Insights, 6 October 2026
3. Reusable e-commerce packaging becomes a new development direction in Europe
On 8 October 2026, the New European Reuse Alliance (New ERA) announced a coordinated initiative to build a reusable delivery packaging system across Europe.
The initiative aims to harmonize identification methods, improve interoperability between systems and develop networks for collecting packaging after use.
Rather than focusing solely on replacing plastic with paper, the packaging industry is expanding toward designs that allow products to be used multiple times.
This is a voluntary industry initiative, rather than a new mandatory EU regulation.
Implications for the Vietnamese market
E-commerce in Vietnam generates substantial demand for corrugated boxes, shipping bags and protective packaging.
In the long term, reuse trends could encourage businesses to research more durable products, convenient opening and closing structures, and collection after delivery.
In particular, delivery models with centralized collection networks, such as internal business logistics or distribution between stores, may provide suitable settings for testing reusable packaging.
However, environmental and economic performance should be assessed across the full life cycle, including the number of uses, collection costs and reverse logistics.
Source: Packaging Europe, 8 October 2026
4. Digital printing expands design possibilities on brown paper packaging
Mondi has introduced a multi-color digital printing solution for brown paper, with an optional white underprint to improve the visibility and contrast of images.
The technology makes it possible to create richly colored designs on natural paper substrates while reducing reliance on conventional printing plates in some applications.
Notably, printing directly from digital data can support on-demand production, flexible design changes and reduced packaging surplus.
Implications for the Vietnamese market
This trend is relevant to producers of kraft paper bags, paper boxes, retail packaging and e-commerce packaging.
Demand for short production runs, rapid design changes and personalized packaging is creating more opportunities for flexible printing technologies.
Instead of competing solely on unit price, suppliers could develop printing services for campaigns, limited editions or orders containing multiple designs.
However, technology selection should still depend on production volume, ink prices, printing speed, color requirements and equipment investment costs. Digital printing does not automatically offer a cost advantage at every order size.
Source: Packaging Insights, 6 October 2026
5. Paper bottles enter commercial production, expanding the potential of fiber materials
On 8 October 2026, Packaging Europe reported that Pulpex had opened its first commercial-scale paper-fiber bottle production facility in Scotland, with initial capacity of up to 40 million bottles per year.
This marks a notable shift from research and trials to industrial production for a packaging product based on paper fibers.
According to the company's published information, the bottles are designed for compatibility with existing filling infrastructure and paper recycling collection systems.
Implications for the Vietnamese market
The development of paper bottles reflects a trend toward extending cellulose applications beyond traditional products such as paper bags, paper boxes and corrugated cartons.
For Vietnam's packaging industry, this may be a signal to research molded paper products, cosmetics packaging, protective trays and alternatives to conventional materials more deeply.
However, when using paper fibers in liquid packaging, businesses need to carefully assess water resistance, barrier layers, durability in use and actual recyclability.
Sustainability claims should also be verified against the complete product structure, rather than relying solely on its paper-fiber content.
Source: Packaging Europe, 8 October 2026
6. Vietnam's fourth-quarter 2026 export outlook raises expectations for packaging demand
According to information published by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) on 6 October 2026, nearly 31% of surveyed manufacturing businesses expected new export orders to increase in the fourth quarter of 2026.
A further 54.2% expected orders to remain stable, while around 15% forecast a decline compared with the previous quarter.
These figures reflect business expectations at the time of the survey, rather than actual fourth-quarter order results.
Implications for the Vietnamese market
If these order expectations materialize, demand may be supported for several types of packaging used in production and exports, including:
Corrugated cartons and protective packaging for industrial goods.
Paper boxes, paper bags and retail packaging for consumer goods.
Packaging for food, agricultural products and export goods.
Gift packaging and branded printed packaging for year-end sales campaigns.
For packaging manufacturers, this creates opportunities to expand cooperation with exporters and other supply-chain businesses.
Nevertheless, raw-material purchasing and capacity expansion plans should be based on confirmed orders, rather than market forecasts alone.
Source: VCCI, 6 October 2026
Vietnam's packaging outlook: Growth opportunities come with a need for innovation
Developments in early October 2026 show that the packaging industry is being influenced by three major trends at once: optimizing supply-chain costs, increasing environmental requirements and innovating production technology.
For Vietnam, opportunities come from both potential export-order growth and improvements in product and service quality.
Businesses that can respond flexibly to requirements for design, materials, traceability information and delivery times will gain additional advantages when serving domestic brands and international customers.
Three factors to monitor in the coming period:
Raw-material and freight costs: Actual movements in paper, ink, accessory-material prices and freight rates on routes relevant to Vietnam.
Sustainable packaging standards: Official changes to EPR regulations, recyclability requirements and material documentation in export markets.
Demand and production technology: The extent to which export forecasts turn into actual orders, alongside the effectiveness of flexible printing technologies and new materials.
As competition intensifies, cost control, adaptation to international standards and proactive product innovation will remain important to the long-term development of Vietnam's packaging industry.
This bulletin summarizes and analyzes information published from 6–8 October 2026. Assessments of the Vietnamese market describe trends and do not constitute certain forecasts of prices or orders.