Plastic Packaging

Sidel has added a new version to its StarLITE-R range of bottle bases designed specifically for recycled PET (rPET). StarLITE-R Nitro is optimized for nitrogen-dosed products such as still beverages and edible oils in 100% rPET. Nitrogen dosing adds rigidity to ultralight PET bottles filled with still beverages and preserves the shelf life of edible oils by expelling oxygen during filling.

The supermarket chain is replacing traditional plastic trays with airtight vacuum packaging across its entire mince offering.

This move is expected to increase the shelf life of beef mince by nearly 50%, keeping the product fresher for up to two and a half weeks.

Notably, Iceland said it is the first UK supermarket to introduce vacuum packaging for pork mince as well.

Following a successful trial in 50 stores, the new packaging will be rolled out to more than 1,000 stores nationwide and online this month.

CRYOVAC brand recycle-ready PP-based laminates have a thickness of 52 microns and are fortified with an EVOH barrier. SEE said the combined performance delivers a ‘superior’ oxygen and moisture barrier to keep food fresh and extend shelf life, while using between 65% to 77% less plastic compared to traditional tray lidding and thermoforming options.

The new laminates comply with On-Pack Recycling Label (OPRL) guidelines and CEFLEX standards. They are certified as 90% recyclability by Cyclos and can be recycled in polypropylene (PP) streams.

Outdoor gear and apparel company Patagonia aims to stop sourcing packaging materials from endangered forests, according to a Sept. 5 press release from environmental nonprofit Canopy.

Four Nordic firms have teamed up to create a groundbreaking reusable and refillable consumer packaging system, paired with a circular order/return service aimed at reducing single-use plastic waste. The initiative, named På(fyll) – which translates to "pour fill" – was officially unveiled by Swedish design firm Form Us With Love (FUWL) in early September at Stockholm Design Week.

The New Wave label material is designed to provide functionality for the full life cycle of products, primarily home and personal care products such as soap bottles or washing detergent containers. It supports the purity of recycled materials by washing off cleanly at just 40°C using plain water with no chemicals required. Available now to customers in EMEIA, followed by the Asian market, the New Wave label material is tested to perform without fiberloss in the recycling process, helping to prevent contamination in material streams.