Manufacturing
testing an industry-first fibre-based barrier to replace the aluminium layer in its packaging. It is also pioneering the use of plant-based, fully renewable materials in its cartons. The Tetra Rex Plant-based carton is the world’s first fully renewable beverage carton. Amcor, too, continues to innovate. It is currently looking at light-weighting, reducing empty head space, using thinner materials, switching from heavy containers to pouches, and creating new materials. AmFiber SkinNova is a packaging concept for meat, poultry and seafood that uses the company’s SkinTite skin film with a flat cardboard base laminated to a high-barrier liner. Furthermore, AmLite HeatFlex Recycle Ready is a mono-material pouch or lidding for heat- treated retort applications such as ready meals, microwavable rice and wet pet food, is the first material to enable retort pouches made from mixed- material to be recycled. AmFiber Performance Paper is a high-barrier paper-based packaging available for confectionery products like chocolate bars, as well as culinary products like bouillon cubes and spices. AmPrima is a platform of recycle-ready mono-PE and mono-PP materials for bags, pouches, stickpacks, liddings and many other formats. The packaging industry is certainly working hard to ensure food manufacturers have options available to pursue their sustainable goals, but establishing a circular economy requires more than packaging innovation. What is required is more engagement with society to create a strong recycling culture, with better education being fundamental to minimising waste.
Eyes on the horizon
Not all of the impetus for improvements can come from industry, instead, regulators have also been pushing for higher standards. For instance, the EU’s recently published proposal on the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulations (PPWR) puts forward mandates for more sustainable packaging with requirements that all packaging put on the EU market is designed for recycling and proposes minimum percentages for post-consumer recycled material. “Between the pull from consumers and the push from European regulators, the need to continue moving toward more sustainable packaging is clear,” says Biehler.
“Recycling is an essential part of a sustainable, circular economy, but it is only doable when the necessary infrastructure is available,” notes Henriksen. “This means government regulation has a role to play in facilitating how it should be done. In the UK, consistency of recycling and waste disposal policies and practices across local authorities would
Ingredients Insight /
www.ingredients-insight.com
be a crucial step, allowing consumers, businesses and waste management organisations to work together as efficiently as possible.” Tetra Pak is currently supporting a deposit return scheme to include cartons, extended producer responsibility and consistent household collection systems. It has also published a food systems report calling on the UK government to develop a framework for environmental labelling on food.
Consumers need more green friendly packaging options as plastic packaging currently accounts for nearly 70% of waste in the UK.
“The current macroeconomic environment, combined with recent supply chain issues, has certainly caused many brands and their consumers to re-evaluate their priorities. Still, concern about climate change remains high among European consumers.”
Cassandra Biehler
“Environmental labelling systems such as this would allow consumers to make informed decisions about the environmental impact of their food,” Henriksen explains. “With half of consumers now stating they would take into account a brand’s decarbonisation efforts or sustainability credentials when making a purchase, this regulation would make sustainability that much more accessible to the general public.” Short-term financial matters may loom large for food producers, but they must remain focused on the long term, taking into account customers’ preferences and taking advantage of the many new sustainable packaging options that are available. Certainly, both industry and cross-sector collaboration will be vital in order to achieve a circular economy, but the first step is for the industry to keep looking to the horizon and not down at its feet. ●
70% Tetra Pak 81
The percentage of senior management in food and beverage who believe we
should be doing more to address sustainability issues.
New Africa/
Shutterstock.com
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