Tenth annual plenary meeting PUMA

Thursday 26 March 2026
Van der Valk Hotel Vianen - Utrecht
1.00-5.00 PM CET

Working together to end packaging as an environmental issue worldwide

The 10^th PUMA plenary meeting will take place on Thursday 26 March 2026. The meeting is Live Hybrid, so you can participate physically on-site or - also interactively - online from your location anywhere.

Register here or contact the NVC association office at info@nvc.nl and phone +31-(0)182-512411. The meeting is exclusively accessible for NVC members or after consultation. There are no costs involved.

SCOPE OF THE MEETING

At the special occasion of 10 years of PUMA, we will look at the PUMA project’s achievements over the past decade, the current situation in packaging sustainability and the expected developments for the coming ten years.

Guest speakers will share how their companies or organisations are making packaging more sustainable, e.g. by increasing recycled content in packaging and reducing packaging going to waste. They will discuss the practical challenges they encounter. Increasing the use of recycled materials, particularly plastics, is a key objective, but is challenged by limited availability, higher costs compared to virgin materials and variable quality.

Furthermore, participants will discuss in groups the main challenges their organisations face in areas such as prevention, reuse, recyclability, recycled content and labelling, and explore implications for the coming ten years, followed by a panel discussion.

 

AGENDA

1:00 – 1:15 PM CET | Welcome and introduction

Opening of the meeting with a short introduction to the objectives of the day and the role of the PUMA community in addressing packaging sustainability challenges.

1:15 – 1:45 PM CET | 10 years of PUMA: past – present – future

Key Achievements, Future Challenges, including an update on Legislation and Regulations and NVC activities.

Presentation by Matthijs Jansen, Project and Innovation Manager, NVC Packaging Centre   

1:45 – 2:15 CET | Tomorrow's Packaging - Ensuring Compliance

Presentation by Ger Standhardt, Head of Packaging Regulatory at The Kraft Heinz Company.

2:15 – 2:30 CET | Short Break, coffee & tea

Time to refresh, network and exchange initial impressions with fellow participants.

2:30 – 2:50 CET | Tomorrow’s Circular Packaging

Presentation by Annelie Verstraaten, Strategic Marketing Development Manager at Royal Hordijk

2:50 – 3:10 CET | The Recycled Plastics Challenge in Food Packaging

Presentation by Caroline Zwart-Clarijs, Global R&D Director Packaging Development at FrieslandCampina

3:10 – 3:30 CET | PCR plastic safety in personal care packaging

The results of a project in collaboration with Orkla Home & Personal Care

Presentation by Tomasz Czułek, Senior Business Development Manager at Norner AS.

3:30 – 3:50 CET | Empowering communities to turn plastic into opportunity

Presentation by Peter Nitschke, Sales and Marketing Director at Plastic Collective

3:50 – 4:00 CET | Introduction to workshop (on-site participants only)

Explanation of the interactive sessions and key discussion themes related to making packaging more sustainable over the next decade.

4:00 – 4:30 CET | Break-out sessions / workshops

Participants will discuss in groups the main challenges their organisations face in areas such as prevention, reuse, recyclability, recycled content and labelling, and explore implications for the coming ten years.

4:30 – 4:50 CET | Debate – Q&A’s – Panel discussion

Presentation of group findings followed by a panel discussion in which experts respond to questions and reflect on the key topics raised.

4:50 – 5:00 CET | Summary, wrap-up and PUMA scope and actions 2026-2036

Joint wrap-up of the day’s outcomes and identification of priority themes and actions for the PUMA project for the next decade.

5:00 – 6:00 CET | After-party with informal talks and drinks

Networking opportunity to meet speakers and participants and continue discussions in an informal setting.

PROGRAMME – CONTACT DETAILS

Contact for programme development is Matthijs Jansen (NVC Packaging Centre) with contact details here: m.jansen@nvc.nl

The NVC association office phone is: +31-182-512411 (Rasha Alshaar/Ingrid Noordermeer).