After two years of online ceremonies, last night (May 04), around 300 packaging professionals, representing 37countries, were together to celebrate the winners of WorldStar Award 2022, the global packaging competition organized by WPO (World Packaging Organisation – www.worldpackaging.org). The ceremony was part of WPO activities in Milan (Italy), during IPACK IMA 2022 (www.ipackima.com).  All the 240 winners in the various categories of WorldStar Award can be seen in the webpage https://www.worldstar.org/winners/worldstar/2022/.

During the ceremony, it was also announced the winners of the Special Categories – Marketing, Sustainability, Packaging that Saves Food and President’s Award, as well as Lifetime Achievement that recognizes practitioners, from all packaging disciplines, who have made a significant national or international contribution in packaging over a prolonged and sustained period. The winners of the 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award in Packaging for 2022 edition are Ms Rachel Bayswater from UK and Mr. Graeme Lang from Australia.

And the winners of the Special Categories are:

PRESIDENT AWARD

• GOLD: Functional Barrier Papers – a complete range of recyclable barrier papers for sustainable packaging solutions (Mondi– Austria)
• SILVER: PACKSYS Capsule Dispenser (PACKSYS GmbH – Germany)
• BRONZE: BeeeerBox (Smurfit Kappa – Czech Republic) “Bronze”
• BRONZE: Compostable Anti Rust VCI Film” (Safepack Ltd.- India)

MARKETING AWARD 

• GOLD : CoolCAN – web2print solution for personalised can printing, (Colognia press – Czech Republic) 
• SILVER: Greyder V (Tasarist – Turkey)
• BRONZE: Asahi Suoer Dry Nama Jokki Can, (Asahi Breweries – Japan)

PACKAGING THAT SAVES FOOD 

• GOLD : hvb HiPack (hvb Innova AG – Switzerland) 
• SILVER: IceCoat – Mini Fridfe without Electricity (STREIFFGruppe – Sven Holger Streiff and Maik Bermeitinger – Germany)
• BRONZE: Junee Prime Lamb and Sealed Air for CRYOVAC brand Total Bone Guard (Sealed Air – Australia and New Zealand)

SUSTAINABILITY

• GOLD: rPET school milk cup (Pet-Man, Starlinger viscotec, Greiner Packaging, Schulmilchbauern Oberösterreich – Austria)
• SILVER: Woolworths PaperSeal ® Meat Tray, (Woolworths Group – Australia & New Zealand) 
• SILVER: PAPACKS Refill Caps (PAPACKS SALES GmbH- Germany )
  BRONZE: Flexible and sustainable packaging concept for fruit and vegetables (Bama Packaging –   Norway)
• BRONZE: PAPACKS Fiber Bottle (PAPACKS SALES – Germany)

WorldStar is the largest and most prestigious global packaging competition and the 2022 edition registered 240 winners and attracted over 440 entries from 37 countries around the globe. The countries most awarded are Germany, with 28 awards, followed by ANZ (Australia & New Zealand) taking 27, Japan taking 23, and China taking 15 awards each.

Pierre Pienaar, WPO President, explains the President’s Award recognizes innovative solutions that, somehow, can contribute to the development of a sustainable world. “In other words, I have the mission of choosing the best from the best, knowing that this packaging will make the difference in the world and will have a positive impact in one or various important aspects of modern life, as environment protection, sustainability, food safety or save food.”

WPO Senior VP, Luciana Pellegrino reminds that the packages eligible for WorldStar are those that have already received a national award recognised by WPO. “The submissions for the 2022 edition were high standard and they really reflect the focus of the global packaging industry in innovation. We can see a number of clever and unique ideas, from a significant number of countries, in all categories.”

According to WorldStar Coordinator and WPO VP Events, Soha Atallah, “After two years of lockdown and getting used to attend hybrid and virtual events, we were thrilled to be able to organize WorldStar Award ceremony physically and to be able to greet and recognize the WorldStar winners on a stage! Last night was a magic night with the packaging community celebrating packaging excellence from around the globe.”

Soha reminds that the entries to WorldStar Award 2023 will open on 15 June 2022 until 15 October 2022. Further questions regarding the next edition, by e-mail s.atallah@worldpackaging.org.