Tetra Pak Takes Carton Packages with Recycled Content to Next Level

Tetra Pak has made new advancements in the area of recycled content, expanding its offering of packaging solutions using certified recycled polymers to cover new formats, product categories and geographies.

The expansion is a key milestone in the company’s journey towards a circular portfolio, turning waste into new resources, and reducing the industry’s dependence on virgin, fossil-based materials. It comes at a pivotal moment, aligning with the recently released European Commission’s proposal for the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation.

As the industry looks for ways to support the EU Green Deal’s goals on climate, circularity and resilient food systems, beverage cartons with certified recycled polymers are now on supermarket shelves around Europe:

• Emmi, Switzerland’s market leader in dairy, recently introduced the world’s first carton using certified recycled polymers in the packaging material. Its good day Milk Drink, packaged in Tetra Top 1000 Base carton packages, has been on shelf since late 2022 and reflects Emmi’s ambitious aims towards circularity, including the usage of at least 30% recycled materials in all its packaging by 2027. 

• In February 2023, Lactalis Group, a world-leading dairy player, revamped its organic ambient liquid cream in Tetra Brik Aseptic cartons under its Bridélice and Président brands with certified recycled polymers in the packaging material – a first in France.. The development supports Lactalis Group’s efforts to foster innovative solutions towards a more circular packaging economy.

These collaborations add to a successful industry first with Elvir, a subsidiary of Savencia Fromage & Dairy. For its Elle & Vire brand, the company introduced a cap for beverage cartons, using certified recycled polymers, in 2022.

“Today, the high share of renewable materials in Tetra Pak carton packages helps them feature a lower carbon footprint than many other packaging options,” said Ola Elmqvist, EVP Packaging Solutions, Tetra Pak.  But we want to go further, continuously reducing reliance on virgin, fossil-based sources and keeping materials in circulation, together with our customers. Actions like these signify our response to stakeholder expectations, from food and beverage manufacturers to consumers and policy makers. We also see this contributing well to the ambitions of the European Commission’s PPWR proposal as well as the intent of the whole industry to accelerate sustainable innovations towards increased access to safe nutrition.”