Sustainable Converting
Supporting converters’ shiſt to sustainable packaging solutions
In today’s competitive global marketplace and as consumers become more aware of the negative impact that unsustainable packaging has on the planet, it is more important than ever for manufacturers to boost their eco credentials by switching to sustainable packaging solutions. Peter Görlitz, sustainability manager Europe, Sonoco, explains.
S
onoco is experiencing an increasing interest from stakeholders to help them understand the technical reasons for a particular packaging design; ways to improve their ecological footprint; and an explanation about the diverse recycling landscape and requirements in Europe. We recognise our responsibility to educate and lead in this area and we have taken steps over the years to re-design our packaging and make it more sustainable. We have also been transparent and vocal about these packaging improvements, to keep our customers informed.
Key factors we have considered when aiming for sustainable packaging include: O Optimised and/or lightweight packaging design. O Designed for easy recycling, as well as being simple to collect, identify and sort.
O Creating circular packaging that is not only recyclable but also incorporates recycled content.
O Smarter production methods; to reduce the use of raw materials, electricity, and emissions, as well as adhering to regulatory compliance and supply chain considerations. This improves the ecological footprint with each development iteration.
O Packaging size, for example, limiting the size of the packaging to enable more products to fit into and be transported in transportation vehicles – ultimately leading to reduced emissions through transportation.
O Food longevity/long shelf-life; medium to high barrier properties in packaging help to keep perishable goods fresher for longer.
O Creating packaging that is reusable. Our solutions
We offer a number of fully recyclable packaging solutions, including: the paper-bottom EnviroCan and Greencan packaging lines.
Recyclable by design, the EnviroCan rigid paperboard can is made of up to 85% recycled material. The can body is made with recycled fibre and the solution features a highly effective oxygen and moisture barrier layer, which assures food safety
and preserves shelf-life, while ensuring that recycling is straight-forward through the household paper and cardboard stream.
Meanwhile, the Greencan recyclable paperboard package is made of 92-98% paperboard and features a wide range of barrier properties. Available in multiple shapes and sizes – from round, square or rectangular; to oval, oblong or triangular – it is the ultimate ‘all-paper’ can, providing a highly recyclable, mono-material packaging solution, with robust barrier properties.
Greencan also features an integrated paper lid, so when empty, the whole package can go through the household paper recycling stream without any need to disassemble it. This makes it simple and convenient for the consumer and for the whole recycling
process.Both of these rigid paper containers have a lower weight and reduced environmental footprint than comparably sized metal cans or other rigid packaging types.
The ranges are suitable for the food and drink, beauty and pharma markets, and are already used by some of the most iconic global brands.
CUSTOMER TAKE-UP
We are helping our customers to switch their packaging to our sustainable solutions. For example, our customer Premier Foods – one of Britain’s largest listed food companies – took steps to reduce its environmental impact while helping its customers to make more sustainable choices.
In late 2021, the company launched its new sized Bisto Gravy caddies, which are 8mm shorter than the previous edition. Premier Foods chose to use Sonoco’s paperboard bottom EnviroCan container for its new packaging solution and the switch is saving the food manufacturer 40 tonnes of paper annually.
The new sized Bisto Gravy drums give consumers 20g more gravy granules (approximately six more portions per tub) than the previous ones, for the exact same price per gram as previously, all while being presented in packaging that uses fewer
resources to reduce its environmental footprint. In October 2022, Sonoco and Premier Foods received the Supply Chain Solution of the Year Award at the prestigious UK Packaging Awards. Another one of our customers, global snack company Pladis – which produces treats such as Mini Cheddars, Treeslets and Twiglets – boosted its sustainable credentials by taking up use of our fully recyclable EnviroCan with a paperboard end. The move to our recyclable packaging solutions is part of the company’s sustainability agenda, which reflects its commitment to making all its packaging recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025.
THE END-GOAL
Improving the sustainability of packaging is a complex process requiring the balancing of multiple requirements and considerations – from material composition, to production speed, to barrier performance as well as making it fully recyclable. No one can claim to have the perfect packaging solution, that addresses all these aspects in equal measure. Rather, it is a process of continuous improvement, looking at the life cycle of the packaging, making changes to the design (both minor and radical), while improving the ecological footprint with each iteration.
And this is exactly what Sonoco is doing, constant design modifications to get closer and closer to an ideal, sustainable packaging solution. From the use of recycled fibre, to reduced use of plastics through improved barrier composition, and material selection, to the selection of minor structural components like adhesives, inks and coatings and many more. Ultimately, our focus on sustainability is directly linked to and is in support of our mission statement. Thinking of the end-users, our sustainable solutions such as the EnviroCan and Greencan ranges, empower them to make responsible choices when consuming products, and ultimately make packaging easier for them to recycle.
Xwww.sonoco.com
www.convertermag.com
December 2022 / January 2023
35
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46
