Kellogg’s trials paper-based liner for cereal packaging as Suntory transitions to 100% plant-based bottle

UK- American multinational food manufacturing company Kellogg’s has announced plans to trial a paper-based liner for its Corn Flakes cereal.

The company said the pilot, which will take part in partnership with Tesco in a small number of stores from January 2022, would help shape its packaging plans.

At the moment packaging for Kellogg’s cereals is comprised of a plastic inner liner in cereal boxes that are not widely accepted in kerbside recycling.

The company says its packaging technologists had worked to create the paper-based inner packaging that could survive the process of filling and sealing millions of bags in boxes of cereal produced in its factory and transporting them to retailers.

The outer recycled card packaging of the company’s iconic cereals boxes is fully recyclable and has been for many years.

The move, part of Kellogg’s Wellbeing Manifesto which is a decade-long commitment to improving its food and packaging, will thus ensure the entire packaging for companies cereal portfolio is now fully recyclable.

Chris Silcock, Kellogg UK, and Ireland managing director said: “We know people want to do more to help the planet and that’s why we are working hard towards meeting our commitment of all Kellogg’s packaging being reusable, recyclable, or compostable by the end of 2025.”

Silcock however noted that Kellogg’s still preferred liners and expressed his hope that in the long run, they will be accepted for in-home recycling.

“Our data tells us that they are better for the planet over the full life cycle of the packaging, but this trial ensures we have an alternative,”  Silcock added.

Suntory launches 100% plant-based bottle

Meanwhile, Suntory Group has created a prototype PET bottle made from 100% plant-based materials.

According to the company, the new PET will be initially used with Orangina in Europe and mineral water Suntory Tennensui in Japan. 

The bottle has been developed after a nearly decade-long partnership with US-based sustainable tech company Anellotech. 

Anellotech’s new technology features a plant-based paraxylene derived from wood chips, which has been converted to plant-based PTA.

Combining the technology and pre-existing plant-based MEG which Suntory has been using in its Suntory Tennensui brand in Japan since 2013 gave birth to the new 100% plant-based bottle. 

Suntory aims to commercialize the bottle as soon as possible to meet its 2030 goal of eliminating all petroleum-based virgin plastic from its global PET supply.

The fully recyclable prototype plant-based bottle is also estimated to ‘significantly lower’ carbon emissions compared to petroleum-derived virgin bottles: helping the company on its path to net zero emissions by 2050 across its whole value chain.

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