UK – PepsiCo is pioneering sustainability in snack packaging with a trial for its Sunbites brand in the UK and Ireland.
Collaborating with key partners across the flexible food packaging supply chain, they’ve introduced a premium-quality snack pack crafted from 50% recycled plastic, a significant step forward in their commitment to sustainability.
This innovative packaging, made possible through an advanced recycling process, is a cornerstone of PepsiCo Positive (pep+), their comprehensive strategy for transformation.
Archana Jagannathan, PepsiCo Europe’s chief sustainability officer, expresses excitement about the launch in the UK, emphasizing their eagerness to expand this initiative globally.
Central to this achievement is the collective effort of various stakeholders, including GreenDot, Ineos, Irplast, and Amcor.
GreenDot plays a crucial role in sourcing post-consumer plastic packaging waste, which is then transformed into Tacoil (pyrolysis oil) by UK recycling specialist Plastic Energy.
Laurent Auguste, CEO of GreenDot, highlights their ambition to recycle more plastic waste into circular polymers, facilitating a sustainable packaging ecosystem.
Ineos Olefins & Polymers Europe utilizes pyrolysis oil as an alternative to conventional feedstock, producing virgin-quality recycled PP resin.
Rob Ingram, CEO at Ineos Olefins & Polymers Europe North, emphasizes the importance of advanced recycling in creating materials suitable for demanding applications, underlining their commitment to accelerating packaging circularity.
Irplast harnesses this recycled resin to manufacture plastic packaging films containing 50% PCR materials, meeting rigorous food contact standards.
Amcor then transforms these films into printed packaging, meeting PepsiCo’s exacting standards. Gerald Rebitzer, sustainability director at Amcor, emphasizes their joint effort in integrating renewable and recycled content into PepsiCo’s packaging, while encouraging upstream partners to invest in sustainable supply chains.
The certification of the recycled polymer content under the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC Plus) scheme underscores the packaging’s eco-credentials.
This achievement showcases the pivotal role of advanced recycling technologies in meeting the growing demand for safe, circular materials in food contact products, aligning with the EU’s objective of achieving 10% recycled content in contact-sensitive plastic packaging by 2030.
Building on their commitment to sustainability, this initiative builds on another significant step taken by the beverage and snack giant last August.
At that time, PepsiCo announced plans to transition from plastic rings to paper-based solutions for beverage multipacks across the US and Canada.
PepsiCo stands out as the pioneer in North America, being the first beverage company to adopt paper-based multipack solutions, replacing the conventional plastic rings.
As part of this transition, PepsiCo Beverages North America is set to introduce new paperboard designs across the US, marking a substantial shift towards eco-friendly packaging solutions.
To ensure a smooth transition, the introduction of these designs will follow a phased approach, initially targeting specific regions before expanding further.
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