Part of the German manufacturer of Nivea’s Nivea Men deodorants and most of the Nivea Men shaving gels will be available in the new, more sustainable packaging on the European Market.

 To deliver on its commitment to sustainability, Beiersdorf is taking substantial measures across all areas of the business. Michael Becker, Head of Global Packaging R&D at Beiersdorf, reveals, “I am very pleased to report that we have made significant progress on our sustainability journey in the past months. We share the vision of a climate-positive future with our partners at Salvalco and are excited to deliver now more climate-friendly aerosol products to our consumers.”

Alaa Alaizoki, who is studying for an engineering doctorate, has created a meat tray without a separate piece of absorbent plastic padding underneath.

Mr Alaizoki said the technology could be used in other areas, like nappies.

Meat Promotion Wales said consumers wanted to know that food was made in an "environmentally responsible way".

About 800,000 tonnes of UK meat packaging plastic waste is produced each year,

Between 5% and 8% of this waste comes from the absorbent padding.

In partnership with packaging manufacturers Klöckner Pentaplast, the design is already being used by leading UK food suppliers and retailers, including Sainsbury's and Asda.

Mr Alaizoki's meat tray is 100% recyclable and allows consumers to look at meat from all angles through clear plastic.

He said: "Traditional padding works similarly to nappies or sanitary towels, by drawing in moisture and converting it into a gel which cannot physically leak back out into the meat."

He said his design allowed moisture into specially designed wells, but would not let it back out.

The packaging can then be washed under a tap, meaning the plastic is chemically and biologically safe to be recycled along with other household items.

He said: "You can turn it upside down, shake it, drop it, but the physics of the fluid mean that until it's flushed out there is no way of the juices escaping."

The technology has only been patented for use in food packaging, but Mr Alaizoki said it could have many more uses.

"Physics is physics, it doesn't matter if it's food packaging or any other product," he said.

"This has the potential to be used in nappies and sanitary products, which also currently go straight into landfill, and take thousands of years to break down with the current gel technology."

Mr Alaizoki, a Syrian student, said he was pleased to be able to give something back to the country which took him in.

"Swansea has supported my learning, and given me the opportunity for me to fulfil my potential.

"I have a wife and child here now, and it feels like home, even though the majority of my family are still back in Syria.

"I'm just so glad to have come up with an invention which is going to improve the lives of everyone in my adopted home."

Gwyn Howells, chief executive of Hybu Cig Cymru, Meat Promotion Wales said: "Consumers increasingly want to know that the food they buy is produced in as environmentally responsible way as possible.

"The lamb and beef sector in Wales is renowned for its non-intensive farming systems which are world leading in terms of sustainability; packaging innovations such as this can only help to deliver ever higher standards throughout the supply chain."

The recyclable packaging will be used on all of OBI’s domestic canned salmon brands and export products, the company said. Its recyclable components include the cans and lids, can labels, trays, and shrink overwrap, the company said in a press release.

The packaging components also utilize recycled content when possible, so OBI’s trays are made from 100 percent recycled content and the cans and lids are made from 35 percent recycled content.

Meanwhile, the products’ plastic shrink overwrap is made from 30 percent recycled materials, which will make the product exempt from the new United Kingdom tax on single-use plastics that will go into effect in April 2022.

The goal of the packaging changes was not necessarily focused on cost savings, but rather to “ensure that the packaging we are putting it [Alaska salmon] in has the lowest possible impact on the planet,” OBI CEO Mark Palmer said.

“The purpose of this project was aligned with OBI’s mission and values, not about what costs OBI might incur or save,” Palmer told SeafoodSource. “If anything, the costs of the new packaging are higher. The goal was to maximize sustainability and to be proactive in responding to new legislation regarding single-use plastics.”

Additionally, many of OBI’s customers with strong sustainability programs “have been very interested in our packaging development program, and we are also pleased to help them reach their sustainability goals,” Palmer said.

In collaboration with its affiliate Kent Warehousing and Labeling, OBI has begun a phase-out of its current stock of packaging and will switch to the new packaging for all shipments at the beginning of 2022.

Kellogg’s is trialling fully recyclable packaging for its boxes of Corn Flakes, with the replacement of the plastic liner for paper.

The food giant has said it would prefer plastic liners to be accepted in kerbside recycling but the trial of the paper alternative in a small number of Tesco stores from January “ensures we have an alternative”.

While the outer card packaging of the company’s cereals boxes are recyclable, the plastic inner liner is not widely accepted in kerbside recycling.

Kellogg’s said a paper liner would have to keep the product fresh over its 12-month shelf life and be able to withstand the process of filling, sealing and transportation to retailers.

Kellogg’s said the results of the trial were crucial as it planned for fully recyclable cereal packaging, whether that included plastic liners being recyclable at the kerbside as they are in countries like Ireland and Belgium, or the rollout of fully paper-based alternatives.

Chris Silcock, Kellogg UK and Ireland managing director, said: “We know people want to do more to help the planet and that’s why we are working hard towards meeting our commitment of all Kellogg’s packaging being reusable, recyclable or compostable by the end of 2025.

“This important trial of fully paper cereal packaging ensures we have explored all our options.

“Ultimately, we would prefer plastic liners to be accepted in home recycling as our data tells us that they are better for the planet over the full life cycle of the packaging, but this trial ensures we have an alternative.”

Tesco grocery director David Beardmore said: “It’s great to see that Kellogg is trialling a paper cereal bag in our stores. Our customers will be pleased that they can easily recycle the bag at home.

“We call on suppliers to test and roll out actions like this; using as little material as possible and making sure that necessary packaging is easy to recycle.”

Recycling Association chief executive Simon Ellin said: “The Recycling Association fully supports Kellogg’s initiative in trialling the use of paper liners in their cereal boxes.

“Currently, the plastic liners which are used in cereal boxes are largely unrecyclable due to the difficulty in collecting them and limited markets for the plastic.

Canada-based packaging and medication dispenser company Jones Healthcare Group is adding sustainable packaging products to its Qube and FlexRx medication adherence product lines for pharmacies.

The company has introduced the Qube Pro, FlexRx One and FlexRx Reseal blister packs made using Bio-PET, a medically approved bioplastic from plant-based material developer good natured.

These packs are intended to help pharmacies reduce their environmental footprints.

Jones Medication Adherence senior vice-president Trevor Noye said: “We continue to focus on circular design principles for our products to bring more sustainable packaging to the marketplace – it’s our responsibility, and it’s important to our pharmacy customers and the patients under their care.

“Not only is our new packaging the first to use leading-edge Bio-PET, but it also uses foil-free backings to improve recyclability.”

The Qube Pro, FlexRx One and FlexRx Reseal solutions are designed to increase the efficiency and quality of sealing in both automated and manual filling environments.

According to Jones Healthcare Group, the products take half as much time to seal as other comparable solutions on the market.

They will be made available to pharmacies in the first quarter of next year.

The UK’s largest independent cheese producer has this week revealed new branding for its core range of cheddar; Mature, Extra Mature and Vintage, including the 550g family size pack.

Somerset-based Wyke Farms, whose products are consumed in around 165 countries worldwide, said the refresh has achieved a reduction of 35% less packaging being used and allowed room for Wyke Farms’ “unique provenance and sustainability USP’s”.

The logo now refers to the Clothier family’s special heritage and reads: “Family Cheesemakers Since 1861”, a change from “Somerset Farming Since 1861”. The sustainability has been given significant space on the new packs with the ‘Made using 100% Green Energy’ logo located in the eye catching top-right position.

A sketched Somerset landscape provides the backdrop for the new packs and the Wyke Farms’ provenance and product quality assurance are also highlighted with the Red Tractor logo and the “Lovingly made in Somerset with British Milk” statement on front of pack. Consumers will now also be able to see the cheddar with an addition of a window just behind the text of the logo.

Rich Clothier, managing director and third generation family member at Wyke Farms, established in 1861 by his grandmother Ivy Clothier, said: “Our new packs communicate the work being carried out here on the farm in Somerset; green energy, family farming, British milk and quality cheddar production are what makes us unique.”

Stora Enso’s offering consists of Fibrease and Papira. Both foams come with versatile technical and sustainability properties, and customers can select a suitable foam based on their specific packaging requirements. The foams can be used for protecting fragile goods and are optimal for thermal packaging of temperature sensitive products.

Fibrease is commercially available now, while the pilot plant for producing Papira has started operations at the Fors site in Sweden, following the investment announced in August 2020.

Fossil-based packaging is a major contributor to pollution, accounting for 40% of the world’s plastics. Today fossil-based materials, such as plastic wrap or polystyrene foams, are widely used as cushioning and insulating materials in packaging. With Fibrease and Papira, Stora Enso is introducing renewable and climate-friendly alternatives to fossil-based packaging protection. The bio-based foams come from certified wood and are recyclable in paper recycling streams.

“Consumers of today are pushing to minimise the use of plastic and maximise recyclability,” said Markus Mannström, EVP Biomaterials at Stora Enso. “At the same time, the need for packaging protection is increasing due to growing demands in e-commerce and cold-chain logistics. With our bio-based foams we help customers create eco-friendly and circular packaging solutions, while also meeting material performance needs to protect and insulate the goods,”.

Stora Enso’s new pilot plant aims to evaluate and validate Papira as a packaging foam in customer tests. Stora Enso’s Fors site in Sweden, where the Papira pilot facility is located, produces lightweight paperboards for consumer packaging.

The launch is part of Delivery Hero’s (talabat’s parent company) global rollout of the programme, across eight markets.
talabat’s new packaging, which will be available for selected restaurant partners and vendors to adopt, is 100% plant-based and contains no perfluoroalkoxy-alkanes (PFA), which are commonly known as forever chemicals, and cannot be broken down by nature. The packaging has also been rigorously tested to meet food safety, quality assurance, sustainability and ethical supply standards, talabat has said in a statement.
Research conducted by Delivery Hero underlined that consumers want a more sustainable delivery ecosystem. Some 88% of customers in Qatar would consider ordering from restaurants that offer sustainable packaging, while two-thirds of customers in Qatar would order more from a restaurant that offers sustainable packaging.
Tomaso Rodriguez, CEO of talabat, says the organisation is committed to creating a sustainable delivery ecosystem.
“Globally, I think everyone can agree that a plastic-free world is imperative. Statistics from the National Geographic and Ellen MacArthur Foundation show that currently 91% of the world’s plastic is not recycled - and 70% of plastic ends up in landfills or the natural environment. By 2050, the amount of plastic in the ocean will outweigh fish. That is the enormity of the challenge that, as a planet, we are facing.
"Regionally, our ultimate goal is to create a more sustainable delivery ecosystem by constantly introducing industry-leading standards and innovations, and that every product purchased through our talabat platform be delivered in sustainable packaging.
"However, this is not a short-term or medium-term fix. Through introducing our Sustainable Packaging Programme to the region as a pilot, we are aiming to influence the reduction of food packaging wastage.
"Also, as part of Delivery Hero, who are introducing this same initiative initially in eight markets around the globe - Qatar, the UAE, Austria, Chile, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary and Singapore, we are able to produce this packaging at scale, with the aim of deploying 10mn units globally by the end of 2022, which makes it a cost-effective solution to normal packaging for our restaurant partners and vendors."
talabat has previously taken steps to reduce the use of plastic by introducing a “no-cutlery” default option at check-out for all orders made through the app, resulting in a 74% increase in no-cutlery orders in just a few months in Qatar and saving over 10mn plastic cutleries.
Additionally, talabat mart, talabat’s own delivery-only 24/7 store with no shop-front, and the region’s first to deliver groceries in less than 30 minutes, switched to biodegradable and reusable bags that consume four times less energy to produce.
Francisco De Sousa, managing director of talabat Qatar, added: “We are thrilled to be among the first countries introducing sustainable packaging to the market, launching it in Qatar along with seven other countries worldwide. We are highly committed to Qatar’s 2030 sustainability vision, and believe that every action to protect the environment is a step forward towards a better future. We encourage our partners and customers to adopt new habits through these sustainable packaging initiatives and we look forward to developing Qatar’s sustainability market.”