As consumer packaged goods (CPGs) in the United States reassess their packaging strategies in response to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies aiming for more sustainable packaging, European CPGs are also confronting stricter requirements under the European Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD). By 2030, brand packaging in Europe must be either 100% recyclable or reusable. To adapt its packaging for the future, European table salt producer JOZO has transitioned from a multi-material canister to a polypropylene shaker with a PP in-mold label, ensuring maximum recyclability.
Since its establishment in 1929, JOZO has been dedicated to producing table salt sourced primarily from underground caverns in the Netherlands and Denmark, formed millions of years ago through the evaporation of ancient seas. With manufacturing facilities located in these European countries, JOZO has a longstanding tradition of innovation. In the 1950s, it introduced the salt-shaker dispenser package in the Netherlands, departing from traditional paperboard cartons. However, until recently, its shaker comprised a mix of materials including paperboard, aluminum, polyethylene, and polystyrene.
In 2020, JOZO collaborated with SFA Packaging to completely redesign its shaker package to comply with PPWD regulations. The new package had to be 100% recyclable, feature high-quality printing, and include a user-friendly closure. Alexander Heinsdijk MBA, business development and marketing manager for SFA, emphasized the challenge of creating a package that is both sustainable and visually appealing. Transitioning to a mono-material package made from PP was the logical choice to meet recyclability goals.
With a focus on recyclability, SFA redesigned the shaker entirely from PP, including the body and cap, while introducing a PP in-mold label that seamlessly integrates with the shaker during the injection-molding process. The latest iteration of JOZO's packaging features a PP in-mold label that separates from the container during recycling, resulting in high-purity, white recycled polypropylene (rPP).
The label, MCC Verstraete’s NextCycle IML, is designed to detach from the container during the mechanical recycling process, resulting in clean container flakes suitable for recycling into rPP. This innovation ensures a high-quality recyclate, aligning with JOZO's commitment to sustainability.
JOZO aimed for a cleaner, whiter recyclate to achieve a high recyclability score. Following an assessment by RecyClass, JOZO's new container received a “B” classification, indicating good recyclate quality suitable for closed-loop or cascade open-loop applications.
Additionally, the new packaging features a dispensing cap with enhanced tamper-evident functionality and multiple options for dispensing fine salt, providing consumers with a user-friendly experience.
The redesigned packaging boasts excellent printing quality, ensuring strong shelf appeal. The combination of vibrant artwork and offset printing technology results in an eye-catching salt shaker worthy of display on kitchen counters.
JOZO offers its Salt Fine and Iodized Salt Fine in 300-g, 100% PP shakers across various markets, including Benelux, Scandinavian countries, and the Middle East. Florence Ruellan du Créhu, JOZO Product Portfolio and Sustainability Manager, notes the positive consumer response since the new package's launch in Q1-24.
