Polytag’s Ecotrace Programme has been named one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2026. The programme was selected in the Reuse & Recycle category and is one of 300 innovations on the publication’s annual list.
Ecotrace is designed to give brands more visibility over what happens to packaging after it is used. It captures barcode-level proof of recycling by detecting and recording data from invisible UV tags that brands activate on packaging. Polytag equipment reads the tags as packaging passes through recycling facilities.
How the tagging works
For packaging manufacturers, printers, converters and ink suppliers, the approach uses specialist fluorescent UV inks and existing printing processes. The tags are invisible to the naked eye and can be added to packaging labels without a fundamental change to established production workflows. The system operates using global open standards and records which tagged packaging reaches facilities, where it is detected and when.
The tags can also carry additional information about a pack, including plastic melt flow temperature, the packaging converter or food-grade status. Depending on what data is encoded, this can provide insights at pack-variant or batch level and across defined time periods.
Data for design and compliance
That information is intended to give brands and retailers a clearer picture of packaging performance after use. It can help inform decisions about packaging design, material selection and recyclability. Polytag also said that as Extended Producer Responsibility increases accountability for packaging placed on the market, the data can help businesses build a stronger evidence base for packaging performance and recycling outcomes.
The technology is being used by Ocado and Waitrose, with UV-tagged packaging generating data at enabled recycling facilities.
Industry reaction
Debbie Waldron-Hoines, Consultant CEO at the Flexographic Industry Association, said the TIME recognition shows the role innovation can play in tackling major packaging challenges. For printers and converters, she said, technologies that connect packaging with data about its life after use could create opportunities to help brands assess performance and inform design decisions. She welcomed innovation that links the print and packaging sector with wider discussions about recycling and circularity.
Alice Rackley, chief executive of Polytag, said the inclusion was an endorsement of work across the packaging value chain to make packaging lifecycles more visible. She said the programme brings together packaging producers, ink specialists, retailers and recycling operators, connecting expertise to bridge the gap between packaging design and what happens after use. According to Rackley, that collaboration is important for turning better data into better decisions and helping brands design packaging with end-of-life in mind.