Monthly Archives: May 2016

Glass Packaging Industry Legislation

Glass Packaging Industry the European Container Glass Federation (FEVE) has supported the European Commission’s Circular Economy Packaging.

Glass Packaging Industry

Glass Packaging Industry. A new FEVE paper said it supports a legislative framework for mandatory separate collection schemes, targets focused on recycling, and acknowledgement of the superior value of permanent materials.

Today, 73% of all post-consumer glass packaging is collected for recycling on average in the EU, and about 90% of it is actually recycled into new bottles and jars.

But FEVE said the challenge is to collect the remaining 27% while ensuring the quality of recycled glass.

Vitaliano Torno, president of FEVE, said: “For the circular economy to function and for all member states to meet their targets, it is fundamental that separate collection schemes become mandatory across the EU to increase the quantity as well as the quality and safety of recycled materials”.

He added that the new recycling targets of 75% (by 2025) and 85% (by 2030) provide a good framework to support investments in separate collection schemes and recycling infrastructure. But the targets must unambiguously focus on recycling, without any competing EU-wide targets on preparing packaging for re-use. Reusable packaging is a product that only satisfies demand from very specific markets, typically local or those functioning in closed circuits, and such targets would create barriers to the free movement of goods in the internal market.

“Materials that can maintain their properties during their repeated use and that can be recycled over and over again must be put at the heart of the EU circular economy”, said Torno. “Glass is a permanent material that is 100% and endlessly recyclable without any degradation of its intrinsic properties no matter how many times it is recycled. This allows for important raw material and energy savings with major benefits for the environment and the economy.”

EU approve smart plant based food packaging

EU Bioplastic packaging project that extends the shelf life of food and informs when it is no longer fit to eat has been given the green light by the EU.

EU launched the project four years ago with the aim of developing plant-based bioplastic packaging that not only extends the shelf life of foods, but also contains a sensor that notifies retailers and consumers of when the food inside is really no longer fit to eat.

The Portuguese-based company Logoplaste, in collaboration with SINTEF and other research partners, has developed a blow-moulded bottle, while the Greek project partner Argo has developed a pot designed to hold seafood such as crabs and prawns. Both types of container are covered with an oxygen-proof exterior coating developed by SINTEF.

Åge Larsen at SINTEF is now ready to present the first demonstration packaging, made of PLA (polyactic acid) and bio-PET (polyethylene terephthalate). Larsen told that this development takes plant-based food packaging a couple of steps further with, “the implementation of the smart element and, in addition, the oxygen-proof exterior coating.”

“The packaging is made of biopolymers to which we have added nanoparticle components. This provides the packaging with new and improved food preservation properties.”

Larsen previously said about the packaging: “It is designed mainly to protect the contents from their surroundings and thus extend shelf life. We achieve this by means of improved oxygen barriers. Standard plastic packaging allows the entry of air which places restrictions on shelf life. Moreover, the new approach considerably reduces the carbon footprint,” Larsen explained.

A three-layer coating has been developed consisting of a cellulose-based film sandwiched by two biodegradable biopolymer layers that serve as oxygen barriers. This can be utilised in the same way as the rigid plastic currently used as food bowls.

The fourth prototype produced as part of this project is a blow-moulded film. This is essentially plastic foil similar to that used to make plastic bags and as oxygen-protective coverings for plates containing food.

The researchers have also developed sensors that can detect, for example, whether the temperature of the food has become too high or if a product has soured.

Larsen added that there will always be an issue regarding how the sensors are incorporated into the product. This must be a decision of the manufacturer. Sensors installed on the inside of the packaging and in contact with the food, such as in bottle caps or corks, will have to be approved by the food hygiene authorities.

Bulletproof revamps Pizza Express Packaging

Bulletproof has overhauled the retail packaging for PizzaExpress’s ‘At Home’ range, adopting a ‘one brand’ strategy.

Bulletproof

Bulletproof the new PizzaExpress packaging is designed to attract more of its restaurant customers to the retail range.

The brief was to create a solid master brand proposition for the retail packs that would reflect the current brand positioning, while also leveraging the ‘warmth, passion and artisanal detailing’ of the PizzaExpress restaurant brand.

Bulletproof wanted to approach the redesign from a completely fresh angle and make the most of the iconic assets that PizzaExpress had – and introduced bold, handwritten typography for added authenticity.

Shunning category norms, it significantly reduced the product window on the pizza packaging instead relying on attractive ingredient photography.

A spokesperson for the design agency said: “In the pizza category, one of our biggest challenges was to clearly differentiate between the standard (Classic) and premium (Romana) tiers. We chose to do this through the use of a black palette for the Romana range, bringing through product colour within the typography to clearly communicate the variant. The use of silver foil on the branding as well as matt and gloss varnishing also helps to really premiumise the packs. For the Classic pizza range, the background colour flexes to reflect each flavour variant creating a sea of colour in the chilled pizza fixture. “

This use of colour also features across the pasta, bread and dressings categories with the dressings further punched out on shelf using a cap and sleeve with the PizzaExpress branding and stripes.

Matt Ward, trading controller at PizzaExpress, said: “We gave Bulletproof a tough brief – to create packaging for the PizzaExpress ‘At Home’ proposition that unifies the products within our range, creates real standout at the shelf edge and captures the essence of our ‘in restaurant’ experience. They tackled this with a healthy blend of challenge, creativity and pragmatism and we are pleased with the results.”