Новые решения в области упаковки отвечают требованиям устойчивого развития в розничной торговле продовольствиями

According to recent research from IRI and the NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business (CSB), 77% of consumers consider sustainability important when choosing which products to buy, 8% higher than the findings of a 2021 survey. As consumer expectations around sustainability continue to shift, both CPG manufacturers and retailers need to understand and meet these demands.

One area that has seen enormous growth is packaging. Nielsen's "Sustainability: The New Consumer Spending Outlook" report found that by September 2022, "sustainable packaging" claims had increased 18% compared with three years earlier.

Consumer demand has directly driven this growth, as Nielsen found that 53% of consumers want companies to reduce the amount of plastic in packaging, and 46% want them to use sustainable packaging materials.

These eco-friendly products are not a fad that retailers can ignore. Research by IRI and CSB shows that 27% of shoppers, and 32% of Gen Z and millennials, specifically seek out retailers that offer sustainable products, suggesting that shopper preferences are likely to persist and increase over time.

The following are some of the latest packaging solutions that can help meet this growing demand.

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Upward Farms' new resealable packaging for organic microgreens gives consumers a more sustainable product, reducing plastic use by 38% compared with ordinary green clamshell packaging.

Eco-conscious concepts from CPG

In the produce aisle, organic vertical farming company Upward Farms recently launched a resealable packaging design for its USDA-certified organic microgreens line. Compared with standard green clamshells, the new resealable design gives consumers a more sustainable product with 38% less plastic, and it is made with post-consumer recycled material. The sealed plastic trays are stackable and easier to open and close than traditional clamshells. In addition, the open-and-close technology extends the shelf life of the microgreens.

"Continually reducing Upward Farms' carbon footprint is our top priority, and our new packaging marks an important milestone in that journey," said Jason Green, CEO and co-founder of Brooklyn, New York-based Upward Farms. "Upward Farms' new packaging is made using post-consumer recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET), one of the only truly recyclable plastics."

Eric Greifenberger, vice president of marketing and sales at Upward Farms, added: "Implementing this resealable technology allows us to add value for consumers by offering more sustainable, more effective packaging. Functionality is extremely important to us and to our consumers, and through rigorous testing we designed a solution that is easy to reseal, can be stored in the consumer's refrigerator and maintains freshness."

Mars is also working with PET. The confectionery manufacturer has partnered with packaging manufacturer Berry Global Group to launch pantry-sized snacks in PET jars that are optimized to reduce weight and contain 15% post-consumer resin (PCR).

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Kraft Heinz's iconic Heinz Tomato Ketchup aims to be the first sauce brand to develop a sustainable paper bottle in partnership with packaging technology company Pulpex.

The easy-to-grip square jars are produced by Evansville, Indiana-based Berry using single-pellet food-grade resin to ensure a clean, consistent substrate from mechanical recycling. In addition to containing PCR, the jars are widely recyclable.

The jars come in 60-ounce, 81-ounce and 87-ounce sizes and will reduce virgin plastic by about 300 tonnes annually. For the 81-ounce and 87-ounce jar products, Berry also reduced the weight of each jar by 10 grams, thereby cutting 374 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2). That CO2 reduction is equivalent to consuming 42,084 gallons of gasoline, charging 45,494,350 smartphones, and the electricity used by 72.8 households for a year.

"At Mars, we want to contribute to a circular economy in which packaging materials never become waste, but are instead recycled, reused or composted," asserted Justin Comes, vice president of R&D at McLean, Virginia-based Mars Wrigley North America. "We have set an aggressive, science-based strategy to innovate our packaging, and changing the PCR content of these large-format jars to 15% is an important step toward a more sustainable future."

Getting better sustainable packaging, however, does not always require science. For example, Shake 'N Bake, part of Chicago-based Kraft Heinz, will reduce plastic waste by 900,000 pounds a year through its first packaging update. In November, the brand announced the removal of the plastic "shaker" bag from its products, opening a new era for its iconic packaging.

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Bumble Bee Seafood achieved 98% easily recyclable packaging, pioneering the switch of multipack canned products to cardboard cartons, estimated to reduce 23 million pieces of plastic waste a year.

Consumers are encouraged to use reusable containers instead of the shaker bag to shake and add an extra layer of crunch to their favorite recipes. According to the brand, this simple change to family mealtime helps eliminate the equivalent weight of more than 270 mid-size cars.

Brianna Galvin noted: "While the shaker bag has been an important part of our heritage, our product works just as well and tastes just as good without the plastic waste, and we are excited about all the benefits of this simple yet effective packaging change."

Another CPG company, Bumble Bee Seafoods, says it also reduces roughly 23 million pieces of plastic waste a year by becoming the first shelf-stable seafood brand to switch its multipack canned product packaging from shrink wrap to easily recyclable cardboard cartons. The change applies to all multipacks produced by San Diego-based Bumble Bee - 23 SKUs in total, including 4-can, 6-can, 8-can, 10-can and 12-can packs. The carton is made from 100% recycled material with at least 35% post-consumer content and is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. This means the multipacks are fully recyclable, both the outside of the box and the cans inside.

Award-winning green solutions

To further eliminate plastic pollution in the packaging value chain, Walmart Inc. recently joined the U.S. Plastics Pact at the GreenBiz VERGE 2022 conference held in October in San Jose, California, and unveiled the inaugural winners of the Sustainable Packaging Innovation Awards. The Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer donated use of its recently launched Circular Connector platform to help select the innovation award winners. Winners spanned four categories - compostable, recyclable, refillable and reusable - and each highlighted scalability, low-cost efficiency or customer-first proposals.

The winners were Smile Compostable Solutions for compostability, Amcor for recyclability, Clorox for refillability and DeliverZero for reusability.

Darien, Connecticut-based Smile's coffee pods offer a convenient, sustainable solution for polypropylene plastic (PP #5) coffee pods, especially where recycling is limited and in contact with food. PP #5 pods are rarely recycled because they are small and require the lid, filter and grounds to be separated before recycling. Smile's pods, however, compost whole, eliminating water waste in cleaning and lid disposal.

Shortly after winning, Smile signed a materials sales agreement with Pod Pack International, a co-manufacturer of single-serve coffee and tea bags and cups based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The company is now able to produce Smile's commercially compostable, plant-based and carbon-neutral coffee pods compatible with Keurig brewers, giving Pod Pack customers more sustainable options.

Meanwhile, Zurich-based Amcor's AmSky is a breakthrough blister system innovation that is free of vinyl and aluminum. AmSky is both a more sustainable alternative to the most popular healthcare packaging and is designed for recycling in both rigid and flexible packaging recycling streams.

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Oakland, California-based Clorox's concentrated refillable cleaners are refillable spray solutions. In addition to using less plastic, they weigh less and generate fewer carbon emissions in transport because customers add water at home.

DeliverZero's reusable delivery containers from New York offer a more sustainable alternative for the takeout food industry. DeliverZero containers can be used up to 1,000 times and have a return rate of up to 98%.

Smile Compostable Solutions signed a materials sales agreement with Pod Pack International to produce Smile's commercially compostable, plant-based and carbon-neutral coffee pods, which are compatible with Keurig brewers.

Emerging influences from abroad

Many other innovations are poised to thrive in food retail. For example, Yakima, Washington-based Kwik Lok recently introduced Fibre-Lok to the U.S. market. Ideal for the bakery and produce industries, Fibre-Lok is an eco-friendly alternative to plastic bag closures. Already tested and validated in other markets, including Europe, Fibre-Lok delivers the same quality and reliability customers expect from traditional Kwik Lok products while using 0% plastic. The closures are made entirely from natural cellulose fiber, ideal for those seeking a 100% plastic-free solution that is home compostable in some markets and recyclable in others.

To innovate its iconic ketchup bottle, Heinz partnered with London-based Pulpex to develop a renewable and recyclable paper bottle made from 100% sustainably sourced wood pulp. Heinz is the first sauce brand to test the potential of Pulpex's sustainable paper bottle packaging in its condiments line.

The two companies are developing a prototype to determine how the cutting-edge innovation could be used for Heinz ketchup bottles and other packaging formats in the coming years. Current data from Pulpex indicates that, on a per-bottle basis, the Pulpex bottle has a significantly lower carbon footprint than glass and plastic. Once used, they are also expected to be widely and easily recyclable in the waste paper stream.

The next step in the process will involve prototype testing to evaluate performance before testing with consumers and bringing the bottle to market.

"We want to bring this bottle to market and be the first sauce brand to offer consumers this choice when they make their purchasing decisions, because many consumers today are looking for more sustainable packaging options," said Rashida La Lande, executive vice president and global general counsel, chief sustainability and corporate affairs officer at Kraft Heinz. "We are eager to continue discovering more sustainable packaging for our beloved iconic brands."

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ProAmpac, a leader in flexible packaging and material science, has partnered with tray sealing machine manufacturer JBT Proseal to offer North America's first in-line sandwich packaging testing lab at ProAmpac's Collaboration & Innovation Center.

Pulpex CEO Scott Winston added: "We believe the scope of application for paper packaging is enormous, and when a global household name like Heinz adopts this innovative technology, it is good news for everyone - consumers and the planet."

Testing has also begun at Tetra Pak, the multinational food packaging and processing company. The Pully, Switzerland-based organization has started testing a new fiber-based barrier to replace the aluminum layer in aseptic cartons. The step marks another breakthrough in the company's long-term roadmap to develop fully renewable, fully recyclable and carbon-neutral aseptic packaging.

"Early results indicate that packages with a fiber barrier will significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions compared with traditional aseptic cartons, while offering comparable shelf life and food protection properties," said Gilles Tisserand, vice president of climate and biodiversity at Tetra Pak. "We therefore believe this development will be a breakthrough in reducing climate impact. In addition, cartons with a higher paper content are more attractive to paper mills. This concept therefore offers clear potential for achieving a low-carbon circular economy for packaging."

"To keep the innovation engine running, we invest 100 million euros a year and will continue to invest over the next 5-10 years to further improve the environmental profile of food cartons, including developing packaging made with simplified material structures and increased renewable content," added Eva Gustavsson, vice president of materials and packaging at Tetra Pak. "We have a long way to go, but with the support of our partners and a firm determination to achieve our sustainability and food safety goals, we are well on our way."

Meanwhile, ProAmpac, a leader in flexible packaging and material science, has partnered with tray sealing machine manufacturer JBT Proseal to offer North America's first in-line sandwich packaging testing lab at ProAmpac's Collaboration & Innovation Center (CIC) in Rochester, N.Y. Proseal's GTSV machine is designed to form and seal fresh sandwich packaging and will be used to optimize packaging designs while allowing customers to trial new packaging without disrupting commercial production operations.

ProAmpac's Sandwich Wedge, available in both fresh and modified atmosphere options for longer shelf stability, is a fiber-based package that includes a film liner for product visibility and freshness. Once the film is peeled off, the fiber package can be introduced into the paper recycling stream. Sandwich Wedge uses minimal material and is made largely from certified renewable resources; it is lightweight and shipped in a flat-pack design for easy distribution and storage.

"Recyclable fiber sandwich packaging formats are in the early adoption stage in North America," noted Ilma Randles, global marketing director for fresh foods at Cincinnati-based ProAmpac. "Having a facility to demonstrate packaging functionality on a commercial-scale sealing line lets our customers experience this new technology. Fiber materials have been an industry mainstay in the UK for many years and continue to grow. However, Proseal's GTSV is the first in-line high-speed sealer in North America."

As efficiency improves, the sealed packaging extends sandwich shelf life from one week to one month while maintaining product quality, ultimately reducing food waste going to landfill. "We look forward to guests visiting ProAmpac's CIC to see how ProAmpac's Sandwich Wedge and other award-winning fresh food takeout packaging can change the game in North America," Randles said.

Retailers reimagine store brand packaging

Grocers are taking new steps to reduce packaging waste through their popular store brands. For example, Southeastern Grocers has committed to improving the sustainability of its private label packaging by the end of 2028. The company pledged to eliminate polystyrene, make all packaging reusable, recyclable or industrially compostable, and include an average of 30% post-consumer recycled material across all packaging.

"We clearly hear that sustainable packaging is one of consumers' top concerns, and in response we are working with our supplier partners to set sustainable packaging goals and deliver on our commitments by 2028. We strive to be a grocer people can always count on, and we mean always," said Anthony Hucker, president and CEO of Jacksonville, Florida-based Southeastern Grocers.

Meanwhile, independent grocery chain New Seasons Market has switched its private label Partner Brand Fresh Pasta packaging from plastic clamshells to a greener option, the Paperseal MAP tray.

Each PaperSeal MAP tray uses 91% less plastic than the previous clamshell packaging for fresh pasta. Through the upgrade, the grocer removes more than 120,000 clamshells from the waste stream each year. The grocer plans to continue reducing operational waste in its stores, working toward a 60% landfill diversion rate.

"Packaging is a complex environmental issue, and we actively work to balance the trade-offs needed to ensure food preservation while limiting unnecessary excess and waste," said Athena Petty, senior sustainability manager at Portland, Oregon-based New Seasons. "By upgrading our Partner Brand fresh pasta packaging to PaperSeal MAP trays, we greatly reduce plastic in the waste stream and extend the product's shelf life, thereby eliminating the negative climate impact of food waste."

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PaperSeal MAP trays are made from FSC-certified fiber and are fully recyclable once the food-safe liner is removed. In addition to reducing material impact, the packaging extends product shelf life from 12 days to 20 days.

Laren Reed, global marketing and communications director at Yakima, Washington-based Kwik Lok Corp, noted: "Consumers are increasingly aware of and interested in where products come from and what happens at end of life."

So how can other food retailers begin implementing sustainable packaging in their own operations? Reed noted that every retailer's journey is different. "The first step is to analyze your current packaging to see whether you are already using sustainable packaging options, or to see whether there are easy-to-implement opportunities. It is also important to use science to make data-driven decisions. It is easy to make an emotional decision and only later find that the science does not support it. Partnering with organizations such as the Sustainable Packaging Coalition or the U.S. Plastics Pact can also provide resources and opportunities to collaborate with other organizations that may be working on similar solutions."

——This article is reprinted from China Packaging Network (pack.cn). Original link: http://news.pack.cn/show-379368.html