Polytag’s Ecotrace Programme has been named one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2026, placing the packaging traceability system among 300 innovations selected for the publication’s annual list. The programme was recognised in the Reuse & Recycle category and is designed to give brands a clearer view of what happens to their packaging after it has been used.
At the centre of Ecotrace is a tagging system that uses invisible UV marks activated on packaging. Polytag equipment detects those tags when tagged packaging passes through recycling facilities, capturing barcode-level proof that a pack has reached a facility. The company says the system operates using global open standards and records where and when tagged packaging is detected.
Built around existing print processes
For packaging manufacturers, printers, converters and ink suppliers, the technology is intended to add traceability without requiring a fundamental change to established production workflows. The tags are invisible to the naked eye and can be incorporated into labels using specialist fluorescent UV inks and existing printing processes, according to the announcement.
The tags can also carry additional information about a pack, such as its plastic melt flow temperature, the packaging converter or its food-grade status. Depending on the data encoded, Polytag says this can provide insights at pack-variant or batch level and across defined time periods. That data is intended to help brands and retailers understand how packaging performs after use and to inform decisions on packaging design, material selection and recyclability.
Data and EPR accountability
Polytag argues that the data can become more valuable as Extended Producer Responsibility increases accountability for packaging placed on the market. In that context, the company says the system can help businesses build a stronger evidence base for packaging performance and recycling outcomes. Ocado and Waitrose are already using the technology, with UV-tagged packaging generating data at enabled recycling facilities, according to the announcement.
Industry reaction
Debbie Waldron-Hoines, consultant chief executive at the Flexographic Industry Association, said the TIME recognition shows the role innovation can play in addressing major packaging challenges. She added that technologies connecting packaging with data about its after-use life could create opportunities for printers and converters to support brands in assessing packaging performance and informing design decisions.
Alice Rackley, chief executive of Polytag, said the listing is an endorsement of work across the packaging value chain to make packaging lifecycles more visible. She said bringing together packaging producers, ink specialists, retailers and recycling operators connects expertise from across the industry and helps bridge the gap between how packaging is designed and what happens to it after use. Rackley described that collaboration as key to turning better data into better decisions and supporting progress toward a more circular economy.
The announcement did not disclose the cost of the system, a rollout timeline, the number of participating recycling facilities or quantified recycling outcomes. The TIME listing recognises the programme as an invention; it does not by itself establish measured improvements in recycling rates.