Good Practice Guide:Sustainable Packaging

Sustainable Packaging Overview

Sustainable packaging can be defined as;

• Beneficial, safe and healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle

• Sourced, manufactured and distributed using renewable energy

• Maximising the use of recycled materials

• Meeting consumer and market criteria for both performance and cost; and

• Reducing environmental impact and ecological footprint

(GreenBlue, 2011; Packaging Digest, 2018)

• 78 million tonnes of packaging is manufactured annually. 40% ends up in landfill.

• Household brands including Coca Cola, Aldi, Unilever and Marks & Spencer have committed to ensure 100% of plastic packaging is reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.

(Zero Waste Scotland, 2018)

Recycling

• The UK is often regarded as being a throwaway society as millions of tonnes of waste go to landfill each year. As a food or drink business it is important that you consider re-use and recycling options for packaging after your product has been consumed.

• Choosing a packaging design that can provide alternative uses following product consumption gives added value to customers. For example; a tin may be filled with biscuits, jam jar filled with spices, or drinks bottles used as flower vases. Opportunities to re-use product packaging should be clearly communicated to consumers and can be included in your marketing plan as a means of added value and differentiation.

• After product packaging has completed its job, can it be recycled?

• Choice of colour, ability to segregate constituent materials, and the ability to read recycling

information is important in order to encourage consumers to recycle.

Transportation

After you have chosen a packaging design, it is important to consider the transportation of finished goods to retailers and/or final consumers. This is in order to reduce food miles, pollution, congestion, and other environmental impacts. Consider the following;

• Is there an opportunity to share loads with other suppliers?

• Is there a way to maximise vehicle loading?

Packaging Size and Shape

• Whether you have your own method transport or use a courier service to transport products, the size of your packaging can have a direct impact on your costs. Most courier services charge based on size and weight so it’s important to keep packaging size to a minimum. This will not only help you save shipping costs but will mean you can transport more products per journey.

• Have you considered the shape of your packaging? In many cases a box, square or rectangular shape is the most efficient design for transporting goods. Odd shaped packaging canlead to “dead space” when stacked and means you can’t transport as many products per journey.

Packaging Suppliers - Biopac

Biopac is a UK wide developer, manufacturer and supplier of eco-friendly food packaging and catering disposables. Biopac biodegradable packaging is targeted at caterers, restaurants, delis, cafes, takeaways and coffee shops who want to demonstrate their commitment to reduce environmental impacts.

Biopac packaging is made from Polylactic Acid (PLA), a sustainable, renewable and plant-based material. Unlike conventional plastics which can take up to 400 years to breakdown, PLA can be completely broken down in 12 weeks.

Product range

Biopac offer free next day delivery (working days) on orders over £75 ex. VAT

Order biopac products online or call 01386 555 777

Product Available optionsAverage price per case

(£)Quantity per case

Average unit cost

per case

Hot Drinks cupsPLA tumblers 100% biodegradable and compostable,

single wall53.86 1000 0.05

Hot Drinks cupsPLA tumblers 100% biodegradable and compostable,

double wall44.26 1000 0.04

Cold Drinks cupsPLA tumblers 100% biodegradable and compostable,

various size options from 7oz to 1 pint91.38 1000 0.09

Straws Compostable paper straws, various colours and sizes 24.35 1000 or 1500

Sandwich boxesSquare cut or wedge shapes, double and triple sandwich

options75.76 400 or 500

Baguette trays Compostable, varying colours 45.51 125, 500 or 600

Cake boxes Plain white boxes, wooden baking moulds also available 34.44 50, 100 or 250

Cake slices Kraft or clear options available 87.77 500 or 600

Cupcake cases Brightly coloured cake cases, approx 24 per colour 9.73 192 0.05

Muffin cases Brightly coloured cake cases 12.83 150 or 200

Vegware

Vegware is a global manufacturer in compostable foodservice packaging. Vegware specialise in plant-based catering disposables made from renewable, low carbon or recycled materials which can be composted with food waste.

Vegware manufactures over 250 eco catering disposables including; cutlery, tableware, hot and cold drinks cups, straws, sandwich and salad boxes, carrier bags, food cartons, and sushi trays.

Vegware have carefully designed their packaging with a green leaf band providing a visual message to consumers that the product is compostable after use.

More information and prices are available on vegware website or call 03333 055 404

Product Available optionsAverage price per

case (£)Quantity per case

Average unit cost

per case (£)Additional comments

Hot Drinks cups 100% compostable, made from PLA, 4oz to 20oz sizes 54.07 1000 0.05

100% compostable brown Kraft cups, 4oz to 16oz sizes 58.28 1000 0.06

Cold Drinks cupsSlim, strong and lightweight, made from PLA, standard

size, 76mm and 96mm options also available83.23 1000 0.08

Price based on standard

range

Straws PLA or paper options available - - -various - see website for

details

Cutlery Compostable and low carbon options available - - -various - see website for

details

Soup Containers PLA, 12oz, 16oz, 24oz and 32oz 59.25 500 0.12

PLA, 6oz, 8oz and 10oz 67.46 1000 0.06

Takeaway boxesMade from recycled sugarcane, 5in box to 12x6in box

available38.33 200 0.19

price based on bagasse

lunch box range

Sandwich boxesTwin sandwich carton, wedge and triple shape available.

Baguette trays also available - £66.31 / 50077.9 500 0.15

BagsRecyclable Kraft and paper bags, 7 x 7in to 12.5 x 12.5in

sizes13.95 1000 0.01

price based on white paper

bags 7x7in - 10x10in

Enviropack

Enviropack is a UK based manufacturer of recyclable and reusable packaging products for personal and commercial use. Enviropack endeavour to manufacture and procure their packaging using ethical processes and sources.

Enviropack offer price discounts on all products if 2 or more cases are purchased

Visit enviropack website or call 020 8428 9184 for details

Product Available optionsAverage price per case

(£)Quantity per case

Average unit cost per

case (£)Additional comments

Hot Drinks cups Compostable Single wall 120ml - 500ml 46.28 1000 0.05

Compostable Double wall 240ml and 360ml 38.95 500 0.08

Hot food containers Microwaveable containers - - -various - see website for

details

Compostable paperboard containers 755ml to 2800ml 35.65 various -

Compostable paperboard soup containers 240ml to 500ml 38.61 500 or 1000 -

Cold food containersBiodegradable salad containers with window, various sizes,

colours and prices - - -

various - see website for

details

Desert containers Compostable paperboard ice cream containers, 240ml to 500ml 38.61 500 or 1000 -

Cake box (wedges) 54.15 500 0.1

cake boxes, cake and

muffin cases and wooden

baking moulds also

available

Sandwich boxes Biodegradable sandwich packs 72mm 57.28 500 0.11

sandwich bags and

baguette trays also

available

Direct Packaging Ltd

Direct Packaging Ltd have developed a fully compostable packaging film made from natural, renewable sources which is biodegradable and compostable with food waste. “NatureFlex” films can be used for fruit and vegetables; bakery products; tea and coffee; crisps; nuts; cereals; chocolates; confectionary and popcorn.

NatureFlex films also have a high heat resistance grade and can be used in a microwave or conventional oven – recommended cooking Max 200°C for 30mins

SizePrice (£) ex. VAT (1000

bags)Price (£) per unit ex. VAT

70x100x180mm 37.7 0.04

76x125x200mm 42.1 0.04

76x125x254mm 48.05 0.05

90x150x300mm 54.95 0.05

Amcor Flexibles

Amcor Flexibles are a global company developing and producing high-quality, responsible packaging for a range of business sectors. Amcor have developed a sustainable thermoformable cellulose-based packaging product suited for pre-sliced products such as meat or cheese. “Packpyrus” is available in three formats; flexible for vacuum pack base webs, semi-rigid and rigid for modified atmosphere base webs.

Packpyrus Flexible and Packpyrus Rigid packaging is made up of renewable fibres, said to reduce carbon footprint of up to 70%, and can extend product shelf-life.

Evocative Design

Evocative Design is a US based packaging company using non-food agricultural waste and mycelium, the root structure of mushrooms, to create 100% compostable packaging products. Evocative packaging products can be custom designed and would act as an excellent environmentally friendly substitute to polystyrene or other fabricated plastic foams.

Benefits of using Evocative products;

– High quality and durability

– Has a premium, natural aesthetic

– Has an unique environmental story which could be adopted in your marketing strategy

– Non-abrasive

– Not derived from petroleum

Product Price $ Price £

MycoFoam 6in tile 7.5 5.51

MycoFoam 18in x 18in panel 16 11.77

Corner Packaging Set (8 pack) 10.64 7.82

Drinks cooler 10 7.35

CuanTec

CuanTec is a Scottish based biotech company making compostable, anti-microbial bioplastic from waste in the fisheries industry, providing an environmentally responsible alternative to polluting packaging.

CuanTec use a circular economy solution processing marine waste to create a fully biodegradable food packaging film. The process involves extracting Chitin, a naturally occurring biopolymer found in the exoskeletons of insects, cell walls of fungi, and certain hard structures in fish, by fermenting marine waste including langoustines and shellfish shells from the North Atlantic ocean. The end product, Chitosan, is a compostable, anti-microbial food contact material (FCM) packaging which can prolong the shelf-life of fresh food and reduce economic loss associated with food waste.

CuanSave packaging is the first of its kind and is initially targeted at the seafood market but could be used for other commercial and industrial purposes. CuanSave can be used as a plastic film for wrapping household food or used as a tray for food stuff packaging.

CuanSave packaging will be marketed in April 2019.