Polytag’s Ecotrace Programme has been named one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2026. It was selected in the Reuse & Recycle category and is one of 300 innovations on the publication’s annual list.
How the programme works
The programme is designed to give brands more visibility over what happens to their packaging after use. Brands activate invisible UV tags on packaging, and Polytag equipment detects those tags as the packaging passes through recycling facilities. The tags are invisible to the naked eye and are detected through the use of specialist fluorescent UV inks. According to Polytag, they can be incorporated into packaging labels without requiring a fundamental change to established production workflows.
The system operates using global open standards to capture barcode-level data. This shows which tagged packaging reaches recycling facilities, as well as where and when it is detected. For packaging manufacturers, printers, converters and ink suppliers, the approach offers a way to build traceability into packaging through existing printing processes.
What the data can show
The tags can carry additional information about a pack, including its plastic melt flow temperature, packaging converter or 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 information is intended to give brands and retailers a clearer picture of how packaging performs after use, helping to inform decisions about packaging design, material selection and recyclability. Polytag also says the data can help businesses build a stronger evidence base for packaging performance and recycling outcomes as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) increases accountability for packaging placed on the market.
Industry reaction
The technology is being used by Ocado and Waitrose, with UV-tagged packaging generating data at enabled recycling facilities. Debbie Waldron-Hoines, Consultant CEO at the Flexographic Industry Association, said the recognition showed the role innovation can play in tackling packaging challenges. She added that technologies connecting packaging with data about its fate after use could create opportunities for printers and converters to support brands in assessing performance and informing design decisions.
Alice Rackley, chief executive of Polytag, said the TIME recognition was 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 helped connect expertise and bridge the gap between packaging design and what happens after use. According to Rackley, that collaboration is key to turning better data into better decisions and supporting progress towards a more circular economy.