Mondi, a global leader in packaging and paper, has collaborated with Skånemejerier to create a mono-material, polypropylene (PP) based packaging for, among others, ICA's Hushållsost cheese.
The new packaging comprisesa mono-materialbase web and liddingfilm, all of which is produced and printed by Mondi before being converted for 1kgand 2kgblocks of cheese by Skånemejerier. Itwill be sold in leading Swedishsupermarket ICA andnow comes in packaging that is designed for recycling.
Mondi's mono-material solution provideshigh barriersagainst oxygen and water vapours, keeping the product fresh on the supermarket shelf.It offers high puncture resistance protecting the cheese,andgreat printability so that the brand and recycling messages can be communicated well on-pack.
This innovative packagingis being launched in the same time periodasSite Zero, the world's largest sorting facility for used plastic packaging, will open its doors in Sweden. This state-the-of-art facility, slated to go live in November 2023, will process used plastic waste from both Sweden and Finland. Thanks tothe packaging'smono-material design, the facility will be able to effectively sort this solution for recycling, contributing to a circular economy.
30% of the world's food is lost or wasted -that equates to 1.3 billion tonnes- so fit-for-purposepackaging designhas a crucial role to play. Fresh products like cheese need to be packaged properly - and protection mustgo hand in hand withsustainable packaging. Ournewmono-material solution is fulfilling exactly that: itkeepsthe cheese fresh while also keeping the packaging materials in circulationthrough design for recycling."
- Helene Brynell, Regional Sales Nordic Consumer Flexiblesat Mondi
Ingemar Jönsson, PackagingManager,Skånemejerier, adds: "Our collaboration with Mondi has been a thorough process: we started our first test and trials in 2019 and are delighted to be bringing this fully recyclablepackaging to market before the end of 2023. The great working relationship we had,meant that we were able to adapt materials and machinery efficiently, resulting in a successful,fit for purpose solution. We havestrong, effectiveand good-looking packaging that keeps materials in the loop and responds to consumer demands for more sustainable solutions."
Rickard Jansson,Development Engineer at Swedish Plastic Recyclingstates; "We are very positiveabout the new packaging that Mondi hasdevelopedtogether with Skånemejerierfor ICA.By using mono-materialfilm instead of laminate consisting of different typesof plastic, we can sort out and recycle the packaging that is left in the system, thus avoiding incineration. With Site Zero's new technology, this PP film-based packaging will be able to become new products, which has not been possible in any facility in Sweden before. It providescircular plastic flows that reduce the need for fossil raw materials and combustion".
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