European Carton Excellence Awards – Even Bigger and Better

Due to the fantastically high standard of entries in the European Carton Excellence Awards in the past we have completely restructured the competition so that we can reward even more great cartons than ever before. This year, the awards will also separately recognise the most innovative packs made from both virgin fibre and recycled cartonboard to better reflect the market structure (about 50% of cartons are produced on recycled material). Entries this year will simply be divided into ‘Food & Drink’ and ‘General Packaging’, with awards for the best examples on both types of material. The coveted ‘Carton of the Year’ award will continue to be offered to the overall champion, regardless of category of product or substrate. There will also be special awards for the carton that best demonstrates a reduction in the use of non-sustainable materials – the Save the Planet Award, and for the most innovative carton or new material – the Innovation Award. As last year, there will also be the opportunity for the consumer to vote for their favourite to select the winner of the Public Award. In addition to these awards, the judges will choose a further selection of packs that they also believe deserve recognition as either Platinum or Gold Award winners. These will honour other outstanding cartons produced on recycled fibre and virgin cartonboard across the various market sectors, from everyday grocery items and pharmaceuticals to luxury goods. For more than 20 years, the awards have celebrated the best of cartonboard packaging, and reward true sustainability in design, thanks to the material’s renewable, recyclable and biodegradable qualities. Cartonboard is also one of the best in communicating brand values, whether that be for luxury brands or everyday goods. The awards ceremony in Malta at the ECMA Congress on 19 September 2019 will also announce the winners of the student Young Designer Awards and for the first time a Professional Young Designer of the Year Award which will be given to a designer under the age of 30 that has created the most outstanding new pack or concept. The Awards are now open for entries and close on May 17, 2019. For further information on the awards and the criteria for entering, please visit www.procarton.com/awards/carton-excellence-award/2019/.