Eco Friendly Packaging
Plastics are part of nearly every product that we come into contact with in our daily lives. Manufacturers favour this material as it is durable and can be mould into any form. Despite these benefits, plastic is having a damaging effect on the environment and we have to consider alternative materials.
In the UK alone the estimated plastic waste for 2018 was 5.2 million tonnes, rising to 6.3 million by 2030. As a result manufacturers have begun to develop sustainable alternatives that will reduce our plastic dependence.
Below are my eco friendly quick win options. Wondering how to introduce these materials into your food packaging and processes? Book a plastic free consultation on the link below and let us help you find the right materials for you.
Switch your plastic coated sandwich box for a paperboard alternative
The food to go sector in the UK is estimated to be worth a staggering £6.1 Billion within the next 5 years. This means a huge increase in packaging materials but we need innovative packaging designs which are made from sustainable recyclable material.
Over 72% of paper consumption in Europe is recycled, making it one of the most recycled of all materials. Most of this is utilised within the European paper industry where it is an essential raw material, particularly for packaging.
Eco friendly packaging made from paper & paperboards including the Jazz series from Chapelton consists of an aqueous barrier coating on a paperboard base, which as mono-materials are recyclable, biodegradable and compostable. The paperboard base is available in a number of finishes to match your target audience requirements, this makes Jazz a perfect choice for your Eco-Friendly sandwich & wrap packaging.
Replace your plastic salad box for an eco alternative
Salad Pots don’t need to be made from plastic, it seems like plastic is the easy go to product for suppliers, but consumers are driving the need for change. Savvy consumers now want to see products in plastic free and recyclable alternatives.
For the last 15 years an Italian company BIOPAP has produced a compostable food tray that has been developed to be used from freezer to ovens and are eco-friendly. The trays are made from sustainable raw materials, using only electricity from renewable resources within their production units.
BIOPAP® trays are a hygienic solution for preparing, cooking, baking, deep-freezing, transporting, conserving, re-heating and consuming food. BIOPAP trays can even be printed on the outside using eco friendly inks in order to bring the brand and quality image of the content up to the consumer’s table.
Swap plastic trays for solid board alternatives
Iceland was one of the first supermarkets in the UK to announce it’s move to plastic free packaging and other large supermarkets have followed suit. Never has the saying ‘a small change can make a big difference’ become more apparent that in the fight to reduce plastic waste.
The fruit and veg aisles of most supermarkets are lined with tomato’s, mushrooms, grapes etc all in plastic trays with plastic wrapping.
If everyone within the supply chain looked at a small change to remove avoidable plastic waste, we would see a massive reduction in waste. One leading supermarket has already switched their tomatoes from plastic trays to a solid board alternative.
ESK from Smurfit Kappa is a solid board eco friendly packaging alternative to plastic which can be used to produce a variety of products. The product is available in White and Brown/White to suit your needs. if required a food/grease barrier can be added depending on the final use of the product.
Change your plastic vegetable packaging for biodegradable alternative
Become a change pioneer! Lead the way for others to follow!
Organic food delivery company – Abel & Cole are an ethically sourced, organic food product and home delivery company. Sustainability is a core value for the company which is passionate about recycling, favours minimal packaging, donates food waste to charities and plans delivery routes based on eco-efficiency.
Working closely with Plastiroll in Finland, Abel & Cole have created a pioneering compostable packaging film for their carrots. The Bioska 506 film will not only reduce the plastic waste, but has also improved the shelf life the produce it contained. Bioska made by Plastiroll use a unique blend of bio-polymers and other bio-materials to make a flexible, compostable plastic substitute.
Plastiroll is an eco-centric company who produce all their biodegradable materials solely on wind power, this simple decision reduces the company’s CO2 emissions by over 1,000 tonnes a year. This is roughly the equivalent of around 300 private cars’ annual carbon dioxide emissions.
Choosing eco friendly packaging alternatives
If you would like to make a change to your current packaging materials download our plastic free guide and take a look at our plastic free materials. We would be more than happy to help sugguest alternative options and work with you to go plastic free.