Sustainability

This collaboration between the packaging producer and the circular economy service provider and specialist for sorting and plastics recycling marks a significant milestone in closing the loop in plastics recycling, supporting both companies in their dedicated aim of eliminating waste in all its forms.

Premium Belgian chocolate business, Guylian has delivered an additional packaging refresh for its line of flagship line of seashell-shaped, hazelnut praliné filled chocolates, reports Neill Barston.

As the company explained to Confectionery Production, it first unveiled a major revamp of its branding two years ago, with its latest move going further as part of Chocolate Week (16-20 October) in removing plastic film from the outside of each box.

Many items in the Sustain collection are crafted using bamboo paper—one of the world’s most rapidly renewable resources—and lined with PLA bioplastic to ensure a completely compostable solution. Alongside bamboo paper, the collection features products made from kraft paper and other plant-based bioplastics, providing a wide range of eco-friendly options for foodservice professionals looking to make more sustainable choices.

The How2Recycle label has been plastered on packages for more than a decade now. GreenBlue’s Sustainable Packaging Coalition began the project in 2008, finishing its soft launch in 2012. As it grew, though, the program also gained critics who pointed out that the use of chasing arrows confused consumers into thinking that certain items, such as plastics films, had more robust recycling opportunities than in reality.

Xeikon, in collaboration with Sappi, has introduced an innovative, food-safe flexible packaging solution for sweets, featuring the "Maoam Chew Fruit Mix" candy packs. These packs are made with Xeikon's pioneering TITON dry toner technology and printed on Sappi's heat-sealable Seal Silk 67 g/m2 paper, offering vibrant colors, high image quality, and a smooth surface. Remarkably, this packaging is fully recyclable in the paper waste stream and requires no additional barriers like varnish for food safety.

For PKN readers who are familiar with the entrepreneurial work of Zero Co CEO and founder Mike Smith –  and who may also follow his commendable efforts to clean up waterways documented on LinkedIn – this shift in strategy should come as no surprise. His approach is gutsy but not blinkered, demonstrated by his willingness to change direction.

Together with Panverta CPP, Henkel Adhesive Technologies has developed films with an improved oxygen barrier layer that makes it possible to reduce the number of packaging layers – a major step forward in terms of sustainability. From October 23 to 25, packaging manufacturers and brand owners can see the results of this collaboration for themselves at Henkel’s booth 1C17 at Tokyo Pack 2024.