A method for regulating the advance of a film web in a packaging machine, which comprises a forming station, a filling station, preferably a sealing station, and a punching station, said method comprising the steps of: arranging a film web in the region of the forming station by means of first advancing means; introducing at least a first and a second cup arrangement (42, 44), each having at least one cup, into the film web in a forming cycle (n) of the forming station, wherein the first cup arrangement runs ahead of the second cup arrangement in a conveying direction of the packaging machine, and wherein a distance between a first predetermined element of the first cup arrangement and a second predetermined element of the second cup arrangement is referred to as a first distance (D 1); moving the film web in a stepwise fashion relative to the forming station, between a first forming cycle (n) and a second forming cycle (n+1) which follows the first forming cycle, by an advancement length in the conveying direction, characterized in that a distance between a third predetermined element of a cup arrangement of the first forming cycle (n), said cup arrangement running ahead in the conveying direction, and a fourth predetermined element of a cup arrangement of the second forming cycle (n+1), said cup arrangement following after said cup arrangement of the first forming cycle (n), is referred to as a second distance (D 2), wherein the first and the third predetermined element (54, 58), with respect to their relative arrangement in the conveying direction within the respective cup arrangement (42, 44), correspond, and the second and the fourth predetermined element (56, 60), with respect to their relative arrangement in the conveying direction within the respective cup arrangement (44, 46), correspond; determining the first distance (D 1); acquiring the second distance (D 2) downstream of the forming station; and regulating the advancement length on the basis of the acquired first distance (D 1) and second distance (D 2) in such a way that, in following forming cycles (n+i), the acquired second distance (D 2) corresponds to the first distance (D 1) or deviates from the first distance (D 1) by a defined amount. arranging a film web in the region of the forming station by means of first advancing means; introducing at least a first and a second cup arrangement (42, 44), each having at least one cup, into the film web in a forming cycle (n) of the forming station, wherein the first cup arrangement runs ahead of the second cup arrangement in a conveying direction of the packaging machine, and wherein a distance between a first predetermined element of the first cup arrangement and a second predetermined element of the second cup arrangement is referred to as a first distance (D 1); moving the film web in a stepwise fashion relative to the forming station, between a first forming cycle (n) and a second forming cycle (n+1) which follows the first forming cycle, by an advancement length in the conveying direction, characterized in that a distance between a third predetermined element of a cup arrangement of the first forming cycle (n), said cup arrangement running ahead in the conveying direction, and a fourth predetermined element of a cup arrangement of the second forming cycle (n+1), said cup arrangement following after said cup arrangement of the first forming cycle (n), is referred to as a second distance (D 2), wherein the first and the third predetermined element (54, 58), with respect to their relative arrangement in the conveying direction within the respective cup arrangement (42, 44), correspond, and the second and the fourth predetermined element (56, 60), with respect to their relative arrangement in the conveying direction within the respective cup arrangement (44, 46), correspond; determining the first distance (D 1); acquiring the second distance (D 2) downstream of the forming station; and regulating the advancement length on the basis of the acquired first distance (D 1) and second distance (D 2) in such a way that, in following forming cycles (n+i), the acquired second distance (D 2) corresponds to the first distance (D 1) or deviates from the first distance (D 1) by a defined amount.