Aldi, Arla, Polytag launch UV-tagged milk bottle trial to track packaging recycling in real time

UK – Aldi UK and Arla Foods have launched an eight-week trial using Polytag’s invisible UV-tagging technology on milk bottle labels to track packaging through the UK recycling system, aiming to generate real-time data on recycling rates and packaging flows.

The project, announced on 3 August 2026, builds on a 2023 collaboration. Invisible fluorescent UV tags are printed onto wrap-around labels using Sun Chemical’s food-safe ink, with labels produced by Saica Flex. 

The labels are applied to Arla’s milk bottles at its Oakthorpe dairy in North London. 

Unlike the 2023 pilot, which used pressure-sensitive labels, wrap-around labels were chosen to boost durability and coverage. 

How UV Tracking Technology Works

When tagged packaging enters recycling streams, Polytag’s detection units installed at Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs) capture barcode-level data in real-time. 

The data is accessible to participating companies via a Polytag dashboard. 

The ink has been tested using Recyclass Washing Quick Test Procedures and EPBP Quicktest QT 507, with results indicating no impact on the quality of recycled polymers.

According to Polytag, UV detection technology is proven, with the company achieving a 100 percent detection rate during testing with packaging compliance organisation Citeo in France. 

The ink has also been approved for use with Polytag’s ink-agnostic detection units, helping to deliver robust recycling data.

Industry Collaboration and Future Impact

Luke Emery, plastics and packaging director at Aldi UK, stated that integrating the traceability technology into packaging allows the company to gain deeper insights into the lifecycle of its materials. 

Helena Delgado Nordmann, head of sustainability at Arla Foods UK, added that the collaboration will help the dairy cooperative understand how milk bottle packaging performs beyond the point of sale. 

Polytag CEO Alice Rackley noted that the deployment demonstrates the scalability and reliability of the UV-tagging solution for high-volume FMCG categories. 

Sun Chemical’s Stefaan D’hoore confirmed the deployment marks the first commercial use of the company’s fluorescent ink with Polytag’s technology. 

The data captured is expected to empower brands to measure progress against sustainability targets and identify opportunities to improve recyclability and recycling performance. 

The trial is part of a broader industry push to improve packaging traceability, with Polytag’s Ecotrace Programme aiming to install detection units at 12 MRFs across the UK, covering over 50% of the country’s household recycling stream.

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