Flint Group Achieves GIO Compliance for Safer, Sustainable Packaging Inks and Coatings

Flint Group Meets GIO Standards for Sustainable Packaging Inks and Coatings

Flint Group, a Luxembourg-based firm, proudly announced that it has met the compositional requirements of the German Printing Ink Ordinance (GIO) for packaging coatings and inks engineered for food-contact materials, closely aligned with food-safety packaging. The portfolio consists of coatings and inks for flexible packaging, along with board and paper, sheetfed and narrow web packaging applications, which confirm the compositional mandate points (a requirement) of the 21st Ordinance modifying the Consumer Goods Ordinance, also known as GIO.

This rank comprises the companys active and commendable commitment to deliver quality inks and coatings, and to comply with double the standard regulations, with full execution to be flaunted on 1st January 2026.

The VP of technology and product management at Flint Group, Paul Winstanley, said, “Our mission has been consistently stuck to lead ahead of regulatory developments rather than just being responsive to the same. Our brilliant regulatory and chemists teams have closely discussed and have joined hands willingly to confirm and review the coatings and inks compliant with the most stringent packaging safety standards.”

“We want our customers to feel the same trust in our new regulations, such as the GIO has come into force. Following this, Flint Group will continue to innovate in product design to keep food packaging materials free from contamination through our coatings and inks. Likewise, we are committed to managing our potential to contribute to the running packaging innovation and development while fulfilling the compliance test with the necessary new GIO legislation.”

The GIO will specify the compliance requirements for printing inks used on food-contact materials. It encompasses all food-contact material applications, including inks used on the food-contact side. As a known fact, inks are not intended for food contact, but they may come into direct food contact and also print on the non-food-contact side, appearing in the center or on the surface of laminates.

The GIO will be in full action from 1st January 2026 onwards. Flint Group suggests that, in compliance with GIO and EU regulations, the company introducing food-contact materials to the market should evaluate the final package relevant to the planned use. Although the raw materials used in Flints FCM products meet the GIO compositional requirements, a few packaging structures still require additional migration testing.