Smarter sachets for a stricter Europe

An EU-backed project uses AI to design biodegradable packets as new packaging rules loom in 2030

13 Feb 2026

Small sachets are everywhere: in cafés, hotel bathrooms and takeaway counters. They hold olive oil, ketchup and cosmetic serums. They are light, cheap and convenient. They are also, in practice, almost impossible to recycle.

Most are made from several thin layers of plastic fused together to keep air and moisture out. That strength is precisely the problem. The mixed materials cannot easily be separated, so the packets are usually burned or buried. As Europe tightens its Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, or PPWR, such formats are coming under scrutiny. By 2030 many will struggle to meet new standards on recyclability and material use.

An EU-backed initiative called E-OilÉ hopes to offer an alternative. Its ambition is to design biodegradable sachets from scratch, using artificial intelligence to speed the task. Instead of relying on lengthy laboratory trial and error, researchers are building digital models to predict how new bio-based materials will behave, how well they protect contents during use and how they break down after disposal.

The goal is not merely to swap one material for another. Any replacement must match the durability and barrier properties of conventional plastics. A leaking sauce packet or spoiled serum would quickly undo environmental gains. By simulating performance in advance, the project aims to reduce development time and embed sustainability at the earliest stage of design.

The effort brings together specialists in bio-polymers and packaging engineering. Just as important is compatibility with existing dispensing systems. Manufacturers are unlikely to adopt new materials if they require entirely new machinery.

The commercial logic is clear. Brands face regulatory deadlines and rising consumer pressure to curb plastic waste. If biodegradable sachets can be produced at scale and at competitive cost, they could offer firms a modest but useful edge.

Yet obstacles remain. Biodegradable materials must withstand varied climates and protect sensitive products. Composting infrastructure across Europe is patchy. Regulators will demand proof of safety and performance. Cost will matter.

Even so, the direction of travel is evident. As environmental rules tighten, artificial intelligence is becoming less a novelty and more a tool of industrial adaptation. Europe’s humble sachet may become a test case for how digital design reshapes sustainable manufacturing.