FMCG Packaging

At Hindustan Unilever, we recently launched ‘Smart Fill’ machine – an in-store vending model for our Home Care products with the aim to reuse, reduce and recycle plastic. In the pilot phase, the vending machine has been installed at Reliance Smart Acme Mall in Mumbai. This industry-defining initiative offers consumers an innovative option to reuse plastic bottles by refilling our home care products like Surf excel, Comfort and Vim through this ‘Smart Fill’ machine.

In 2022, Cadbury announced it had sourced 30 per cent (on a mass balance basis) of the plastic needed to wrap its 160-gram to 185-gram Cadbury Dairy Milk family blocks produced in Australia from recycled materials.

Cadbury now aims to use 50 per cent recycled plastic for its wrappers across its chocolate blocks, bars and pieces range produced in Australia. This will be equivalent to halving its virgin plastic needs to wrap those products.

UPM Raflatac, a global supplier of innovative and sustainable self-adhesive paper and film products, has been formally recognized by the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) for three types of biaxially-oriented polypropylene (BOPP) label products for HDPE and PP package recycling. These include Undecorated BOPP with hotmelt adhesive, Undecorated BOPP with RW85C, and Metalized undecorated BOPP with general purpose acrylic adhesive.

Packaging specialist adapa has the knack when it comes to packing confectionery such as toffees, soft caramels or sweets in an efficient and resource-saving way. Following the certification bodies and the future expectations of the paper industry closely, adapa was able to launch a paper-based twist wrap that not only works on highspeed packaging lines but has also been certified as repulpable by the renowned CEPI standard: the PaperTwister(re).

Efficiency and certified recyclability unrivalled combined

Chocolates Valor, a prominent Spanish chocolate manufacturer, has effectively transitioned a portion of its cocoa product packaging to Sonoco's recyclable GREENCAN® solution.

Established in 1881, this family-run enterprise boasts an extensive network of chocolate shops and produces over 22,900 tonnes of chocolate annually. Specializing in high-cocoa percentage chocolate bars, sugar-free chocolate, soluble cocoa, and various chocolate snacks, Chocolates Valor prides itself on innovation and sustainability.

TAL, the airless system with pouch technology in a lightweight aluminium container launched by Lumson in 2021, is making a return in an even environmental-friendly version.

Post-consumer recycled (PCR) aluminium

At Luxe Pack New York last week, Lumson has unveiled a new version of TAL made from post-consumer recycled aluminium (PCR).

The plastic and card packaging has been replaced with a cardboard alternative, making it easier for customers to recycle at home as the materials do not need to be separated.

Shoppers will see the new packaging on Aldi’s two-packs of Dentitex Soft and Whitening toothbrushes.

The supermarket, which claims it is increasingly shoppers’ main supermarket for their weekly shop, says the move will help to remove around 17 tonnes of plastic packaging every year.