After concluding the 2022 WorldStar Award ceremony, that was held in Milan during the IpackIma show on 4 May, with the participation of more than 300 packaging professionals from 37 countries, the World Packaging Organisation (WPO) has opened entries for the 2023 awards.

Nominations can be made anytime between now and October 20.

 “We encourage every WPO member across the globe to help us promote the largest and most prestigious global packaging award,” WPO president Pierre Pienaar said.

“Promoting WorldStar, each member promote the best packaging in its own country, globally, which means an incredible contribution to the sustainable and continuous development of the packaging industry. Last year WorldStar 2022 hit a record with 440 entries from 37 countries.

“The 2023 edition is even more special. We are also happy to announce that WPO is introducing two new main Categories – Gift Packaging and Digital Packaging – and one new Special Category – Accessible Packaging.”

The schedule for the 2023 edition of the WorldStar Packaging Awards is as follows:

·        15 June 2022: Opening for entries

·        20 October 2022: Closing date for entries

·        November 2022: Judging process

·        09 January 2023: Announcements of winners.

·        May 2023: Awards Ceremony and Gala Evening during interpack in Düsseldorf (Germany)

WPO vice-president of sustainability and save food Nerida Kelton said, “The new Accessible Packaging category shows how the packaging industry is aligned with the actual challenges and demands of the society. It is important that Packaging Technologists consider how their packaging design could affect someone’s ability to eat, drink and the flow on of wasting food”.

Packages eligible for WorldStar Awards are those that have already received a national or regional packaging award from a packaging competition that is recognised by the WPO, during the last two years.

In Australia, all 2022 PIDAs winners will also be automatically eligible for entry into the 2023 WorldStar Packaging Awards competition.

“As always, our aim is to promote packaging innovation in various sectors, proving that a good package can be an essential solution to many of the modern problems, especially sustainability, food waste and extending shelf life of food and agricultural products,” WorldStar coordinator and WPO vice-president of events Soha Atallah said.

“That’s why we encourage all the companies from around the world to benefit from this global opportunity to promote their packaging by competing with the best of the best packaging innovation in a global base.”