British firm Polymateria's groundbreaking technology bring fully biodegradable plastics to the food industry

Polymateria, a British company, has emerged as a pioneer in the field of biodegradable plastics, particularly focusing on food bags and wraps.

 Their innovative approach promises to revolutionise the food industry by addressing one of the most pressing environmental concerns: plastic waste.

The Problem with Traditional Plastics

Traditional plastics, while versatile and durable, pose significant environmental hazards. They can take hundreds of years to decompose, leading to persistent pollution in our ecosystems. This plastic waste accumulates in landfills and oceans, harming wildlife and entering the food chain, which ultimately affects human health.

Polymateria's Breakthrough Technology

Polymateria has developed a groundbreaking technology that creates plastics capable of biodegrading in natural environments. This innovation is particularly important for the food industry, which relies heavily on plastic packaging for its durability and ability to preserve food freshness.

Features of Polymateria's Biodegradable Plastics

Controlled Lifespan: Polymateria's plastics are designed to have a controlled lifespan. Unlike traditional biodegradable plastics, which can begin to degrade prematurely, Polymateria's products remain stable during their useful life. They start to biodegrade only after their intended use period has ended.

Environmental Degradation: Once their lifecycle is complete, these plastics break down naturally and completely, turning into harmless organic matter. This process significantly reduces the long-term environmental impact compared to conventional plastics.

Versatility: Polymateria’s biodegradable plastics can be used for various types of food packaging, including bags, wraps, and containers. This versatility ensures that a wide range of food products can benefit from environmentally friendly packaging solutions.

Benefits for the Food Industry

Reduced Environmental Footprint: By adopting Polymateria's biodegradable plastics, the food industry can significantly reduce its environmental footprint. This aligns with growing consumer demand for sustainable products and practices.

Compliance with Regulations: Governments worldwide are increasingly implementing regulations to limit plastic waste. Polymateria's innovative solutions can help food companies comply with these regulations, avoiding potential fines and reputational damage.

Enhanced Brand Image: Companies that adopt sustainable packaging solutions like Polymateria’s can enhance their brand image. Consumers are increasingly favouring brands that demonstrate a commitment to environmental stewardship.

Food Safety and Freshness: Despite being biodegradable, Polymateria's plastics do not compromise on the protective qualities needed for food packaging. They ensure that food products remain safe and fresh throughout their shelf life.

The Future of Food Packaging

Polymateria's advancements in biodegradable plastics represent a significant step forward in tackling the global plastic waste crisis. As the food industry continues to seek sustainable solutions, the adoption of these innovative materials could become widespread. This shift would not only help preserve the environment but also meet the evolving expectations of environmentally conscious consumers.

In summary, Polymateria’s biodegradable plastic food bags and wraps are poised to be a game changer for the food industry. Their unique technology offers a viable alternative to traditional plastics, promising a future where food packaging is both effective and environmentally responsible.

https://www.polymateria.com

Good news! Aldi's beer and cider ranges are now plastic free!

Aldi has removed all plastic packaging from its own-label four-pack beers and ciders to further slash plastic waste.

The UK’s fourth-largest supermarket has replaced potentially environmentally dangerous plastic shrink wrap and rings with a safer, greener cardboard alternative.

The packaging is fully recyclable at home and removes 95 tonnes of plastic packaging per year, as part of Aldi’s continuing efforts to reduce its environmental impact and develop alternative packaging for its products.

Luke Emery, Plastics and Packaging Director at Aldi, said: “Minimising plastic waste is important to both Aldi and our customers, and we are always looking for ways to adapt our packaging. Moving our beer and cider to card packaging is another step in our fight against unwanted plastic.”

The change follows Aldi’s switch to fully recyclable own-label handwash packaging in May and the removal of single-use cutlery from its Food To Go range in September. 

Innovative Circular Grocery Start-up weekly.shop Receives Investment From Low Carbon Innovation Fund 2 And Turquoise Capital.

weekly.shop (https://www.weekly.shop), the innovative grocery start-up which aims at eliminating throwaway packaging from grocery shopping has secured investment from the Low carbon Innovation Fund (LCIF2) and Turquoise Capital, bringing their total funding to date to over £350k.

The investment comes alongside angels, including key early and senior individuals from the likes of graze.com, Harry’s and Hello Fresh. weekly.shop are also current recipients of a UK Research and Innovation grant to fight plastic waste.

LCIF2 supports innovative businesses dedicated to reducing carbon emissions and minimising environmental impact. Turquoise, the fund manager for LCIF2, shares this commitment to a greener future, specialising in sustainability-focused ventures. On this occasion they have further invested themselves alongside LCIF2.

weekly.shop’s service is the first of its kind in the UK and brings consumers a frictionless way to buy zero waste groceries. It’s a much needed solution, according to Greenpeace figures, nearly 40% of all plastic packaging waste comes from grocery shopping (that's a whopping 886,000 tonnes - 97bn items per year), and only 12% of it is ever recycled.

The weekly.shop pilot is soon to launch in London and this investment will help drive this key development phase as the first customers try the service (the waiting list already has over 750 eager shoppers on it).

A B-Corp Pending, the start-up was the brainchild of cofounders Paul Cooke and Mark Holland, who met when both were in the founding team at successful pet food start-up, tails.com (acquired by Nestle in 2018). As parents of younger children, they were motivated to help build a better future for their (and everybody else’s) kids.

"We’re delighted such experienced and aligned investors have shown belief and conviction in our vision for a new type of grocery shopping. This investment from LCIF2 and Turquoise Capital will help us bring that vision to life" said Cooke.

Holland added, “We’re working to bring about system change and to have large scale impact, having investors who also want to have this kind of impact is very important to us.”

Kevin Murphy, director at Turquoise, commented: “weekly.shop provides a service which enables customers to buy and consume their weekly shop with no packaging waste. We are delighted to make this investment as it fits very well in the investment strategy of LCIF2 into technologies and services helping to reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs) as there are huge savings to be made by avoiding throwaway packaging on food deliveries.”

On a roll! Sainsbury’s introduces paper packaging to its toilet and kitchen rolls in a first for UK retailers

Although not a traditional food and drink story this news is of interest to us who use paper towels to wipe up our kitchen messes.

Because Sainsbury’s is the first UK retailer to announce a switch from plastic to paper packaging across its entire own-brand toilet paper and kitchen towel ranges. 

This move will save 485 tonnes of plastic, the equivalent of over 55 million pieces of plastic annually. The change is said to be the biggest plastics reduction the retailer has made in its grocery business so far to date.

The new packaging will launch across 27 products, with customers starting to see the change in store and online from this week. The paper packaging will have rolled out to all lines by February next year and can easily be recycled at home through kerbside recycling.

The packaging switch follows the introduction of double-length toilet rolls in Sainsbury’s last year. The multipack rolls include double the number of sheets on each roll, reducing plastic packaging by 30%, and saving 84 tonnes of plastic each year.

Claire Hughes, who is the Director of Product and Innovation, said: “We sell thousands of our own brand toilet tissue and kitchen roll products every week and by switching from plastic to paper on these household staples, we’re able to make a significant impact in reducing plastic. 

"This change alone represents the biggest plastic reduction in our grocery products so far and our customers can expect many more changes to come. Collaborating with our suppliers to develop innovative packaging solutions to reduce plastic is a major key priority for Sainsbury’s, helping us to achieve our ambitious target of increasing recycled content and recyclability.”

Sainsbury’s also recently passed on over £4m worth savings directly to customers by cutting the price of selected own brand toilet paper and kitchen towels. The cuts included by Sainsbury’s ultra-absorbent kitchen towels x2 (previously £3.25, now £3) and by Sainsbury’s super soft quilted x16 (previously £7.50, now £6.50) and are part of its commitment to keep prices low on staple household products.

The retailer's latest packaging swap is just one of the changes it has made this year to reduce plastic packaging. Last month, Sainsbury’s was the first UK retailer to swap its plastic babywear hangers to cardboard, saving 103 tonnes of plastic a year. Sainsbury’s also switched its own-brand laundry detergent from plastic to cardboard cartons earlier this year, saving 22 tonnes of plastic annually.

www.sainsburys.co.uk

Aldi lets loose with its fruit and veg

But it's all in a good cause! Because Aldi is set to trial four new loose fruit and vegetable lines in a bid to further cut plastic waste.

Beginning this week, items including garlic, limes, lemons and oranges will be introduced as loose in select Aldi stores all over the country.

Specially chosen Aldi branches in the North East, Cumbria, Yorkshire, South East, and London will start offering loose garlic and limes, while shoppers in the East of England, East Midlands and London will be able to purchase loose garlic, limes, oranges and lemons.

If rolled out across all its branches, this move will see Aldi remove a further 94 tonnes of plastic packaging every year.

Luke Emery, Plastics and Packaging Director at Aldi, said: “At Aldi we're firmly committed to removing plastic packaging wherever we possibly can and we are constantly reviewing ways to make a real difference.

“By trialling these packaging-free produce lines, we hope to help our customers cut back on unnecessary plastic when shopping at Aldi.”

Aldi already offers loose produce options on a number of ranges, including potatoes, peppers and avocadoes.

Aldi reduces plastic wrapping on minced beef

Aldi has announced it is trialling the sale of vacuum and flow-wrap packed beef mince to cut the amount of plastic packaging it users by up to 73%.

As well as significantly reducing plastic use, the changes are expected to increase the shelf life of minced beef, keeping products fresher for longer, without impacting either quality or taste.

The trials are taking place to see which packaging customers prefer alongside looking at how the supermarket can further reduce plastic waste in the future.

The aim of the trial is to understand which packaging customers prefer alongside helping Aldi the further cut plastic waste.

The new packaging removes the need for paper linings and no carbon dioxide is used in production, delivering further environmental benefits without impacting the quality or taste of the product.

In fact, the new packaging is expected to increase the shelf life of minced beef by keeping it fresher for longer.

The vacuum packaging trial has gone live across select stores in Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, the West Midlands and Worcestershire. (EDITOR: That's us covered, then!)

The flow-wrap trial will be rolled out in the same areas later in the year during November.

Luke Emery, who holds the role of Aldi's Plastics and Packaging Director, said: “At Aldi we're constantly reviewing ways to become more eco-friendly and reduce plastic use wherever possible.

“These trials promise a range of environmental benefits without impact on quality and it could lead to significant reductions in plastic, food miles and food waste if rolled out across all our stores.”

The move follows Aldi’s switch to colourless milk caps across all of its 990 UK stores in a bid to improve the recyclability of the bottles.

The roll out will mean a further 200 tonnes of High-Density Polythene (rHDPE) in the bottle tops can be reused to create new milk bottles. 

Tesco unveils fresh mince ‘pillow packs’ that uses less plastic

Tesco Customers picking up fresh mince in some Tesco stores will notice a big change in how it’s packaged. Instead of the traditional tray/top wrap pack, shoppers will see two lines of mince in new ‘pillow packs’.

The supermarket is testing  the new packaging which uses an incredible 70% less plastic, on two products: 500g Tesco Beef Lean Steak Mince 5% fat (£3.49) and Tesco Beef Mince 500g 20% fat (£2.49). If customers like the new pillow packs, Tesco will roll them out to more stores and across more products, too.

Pillow packs are the opposite to vacuum packs. The slightly inflated ‘pillow’ keeps the mince in perfect condition and prevents it being compressed at all.

While the new packs still contain the same amount of mince as the older packs, the packaging is smaller in size, meaning fewer lorries are needed to transport them, and stores can fit more on shelves, increasing availability, too.

The new packaging is recyclable. Customers can put it into the front of store recycling units with their other soft plastic.

Dom Morrey, who is the Tesco Commercial Director for Fresh, said: “As well as looking for great value when they are shopping, customers want to see less plastic packaging on the products they buy. Pillow packs are a win-win: they keep the mince in perfect condition, whilst also requiring much less plastic. 

“Removing or reducing unnecessary plastic is a vital way we at Tesco can reduce environmental impact. We're proud of what we've been able to do so far, but we'll continue to look for ways to do more."

Tesco’s 4Rs packaging strategy aims to remove plastic where it can, reduce where it can't, reuse more and recycle what's left. To date, Tesco has removed around 2.2 billion pieces of plastic from its UK business, including: 

200+ million bags from Tesco.com deliveries

100+ million extra lids from products such as wipes, creams, yogurts and desserts

50 million pieces of plastic wrapping from cans of branded beers and ciders

www.tesco.com

Sainsbury’s introduces cardboard trays to its by Sainsbury’s steaks, saving over 10 million pieces of plastic annually

Sainsbury’s has announced it is to remove plastic trays from its by Sainsbury’s steak range, replacing them with a cardboard alternative which uses 70% less plastic.

The new trays will launch across 10 products in the range and is now available in all stores and online. They can be recycled at home by rinsing the cardboard tray before placing it your kerbside recycling bin or container.

Sainsbury’s introduced cardboard tray packaging to its Taste the Difference and So Organic steaks previously.

The announcement is the latest in a range of changes made by the retailer on packaging. In April, Sainsbury’s went trayless on whole chickens and also removed plastic bags from its entire banana range earlier this year saving 192 tonnes of plastic. 

Sainsbury’s was the first UK retailer to introduce cardboard cartons to its own-brand liquid laundry detergent range saving a further 22 tonnes of plastic a year.

Claire Hughes, who is Sainsbury's Director of Product and Innovation said: “As part of our Plan for Better commitments, we are trying to reduce plastic packaging across our own brand ranges, as we know that reducing plastic is important to our customers but also on our environmental impact. 

"It’s why we are always looking at ways to innovate our packaging and reduce or replace plastic wherever we can, as quickly as we can. We’re pleased to save another 10 million pieces of plastic a year by swapping our by Sainsbury’s steak trays to cardboard following the changes we have already made on So Organic and Taste the Difference packaging . While we are making good progress, we know there is more to do and we are committed to making bold changes that help us achieve our plastic reduction targets.”

www.sainnsburys.co.uk

Aldi is switching to colourless, greener, milktops in all its 990 UK stores

Following last year's successful trial, Aldi, the UK’s fourth largest supermarket, is introducing the easier to recycle caps on all its milk lines in a bid to further boost the recyclability of the bottles.

Partnering with several suppliers, the new milk caps have started to appear in stores this week onward.

The roll out will mean a further 200 tonnes of High-Density Polythene (rHDPE) in the bottle tops can be reused to create new milk bottles.  

Customers will still be able to distinguish the milk type via the labels, which will remain red, green or blue depending on the fat content of the milk it contains.

Luke Emery, Aldi's Plastics and Packaging Director said: “At Aldi we are constantly reviewing ways to become a more sustainable supermarket and cut down on single-use plastic. That means working closely with all our suppliers to find solutions that will make a real difference.

“Improving the recyclability of packaging on an everyday product like milk has been well received by our customers, who are increasingly aware of products being environmentally friendly.”

FPA issues guidance on packaging claiming to be ‘plastic-free’

The Foodservice Packaging Association (FPA) has issued key guidance to address the claims made by producers of ‘plastic-free’ packaging.

In response to the big increase in foodservice packaging claiming to be plastic-free, linked with the confusion and misunderstanding surrounding the validity of plastic-free packaging claims, the FPA has published a list of requirements to help inform packaging buyers conducting due diligence prior to  purchase.

“Our members, foodservice retailers and the general public need clarity”, says Martin Kersh, Executive Director at the FPA (pictured.) 

He went on to say: “FPA members need to know what evidence they should be looking for to validate packaging, while foodservice retailers must be confident they're making buying decisions based on evidence that's valid in the UK.

“Having board-based packaging that can hold hot fluids, sauces and oils in safety, without some form of plastic lining or coating, is a huge attraction for retailers”, Kersh continues. “However, while plastic-free packs don’t contain the polyethylene (PE) or PLA most often used to make packs effective, many do use other plastics, like acrylic, as part of what's known as a dispersion coating. As such, there are packs that claim to be plastic-free, when they're not."

There is much confusion regarding the certification used to evidence claims of ‘plastic-free’ and symbols used to demonstrate conformity. Some certificates are produced by organisations that aren't  recognised by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) – and there are other symbols which are totally fictitious and are a total and clear breach of the Competition & Markets Authority Green Claims Code.

The FPA guidance for plastic-free packaging is summarised below:

1. Plastic-free must mean 100% plastic-free – with no intentionally added plastic present – either in the principal substrate or within the lining/coating.

2. The finished pack (not only the material it consists of) must be independently tested and certified to be 100% plastic-free by a certification body recognised by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS).

3. The testing must identify the presence of any plastic, and not just those plastics that might be present in the packaging the ‘plastic-free’ pack is seeking to replace.

4. Certification issued by a country outside the UK does not necessarily validate a claim made in the UK. The due diligence for packaging being marketed in the UK needs to ensure the evidence/certification is accredited by UKAS.

5. The only symbols shown must be those of the UKAS-accredited certifying body, accompanied by a license number.

“The guidance for plastic-free packaging falls into the same category as that required for all other claims regarding the origin and credentials of the certifying body”, adds Kersh. “All our members are required to operate their businesses in accordance with the FPA Code of Practice, which expressly forbids the use of any unsubstantiated claims”.

A full copy of the FPA guidance can be viewed at the FBA website. Businesses seeking certification can visit the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) website to source accredited organisations. UKAS is appointed by government to assess and accredit organisations providing certification and testing facilities.

https://foodservicepackaging.org.uk

New greener packaging for Lidl beef mince

Lidl GB has revealed plans to introduce new vacuum-packed, recyclable packaging across its beef mince range, thus bringing about a very welcome plastics reduction of almost two thirds (63%). 

The smaller packs provide a valuable space saving, which will also result in up to 350 delivery trucks being taken off the road every year.

Customers across the UK will be guaranteed the same amount of high-quality 100% British beef mince, whilst collectively saving over 250 tonnes of plastic a year through the new packaging. With the new packaging providing around double the current shelf life, it’s also estimated it will half the amount of beef mince food waste in store.

Alongside the positive impact on the environment, the change, which will be introduced at the beginning of 2024, will also comes with significant additional benefits for shoppers, such as:

Double the shelf life, from eight to around 16 days, staying fresher for longer for customers to use

Easy peel film, so customers don’t have to touch the raw meat

Smaller footprint pack, thus taking up less storage space in the fridge or freezer

Shyam Unarket, Lidl GB’s Head of Responsible Sourcing & Ethical Trade, said: “Plastic reduction is a huge priority for us at Lidl, and this one change will cut the amount of plastic in each pack by a whopping two thirds, culminating in the elimination of over 250 tonnes of plastic from packaging a year. 

"But we also recognise the important role plastic plays in our daily lives. That’s why it’s vitally  important Lidl's plastic reduction strategy is centred around a progressive circular programme. By ensuring any new packaging is recyclable, we’ll also be able to help prevent plastic pollution in our environment. 

 “When the new packaging arrives in store early next year, we know the huge benefits both from a sustainability and practical perspective, will be welcomed by our customers.” 

This latest change forms part of Lidl GB’s commitment to tackling the important issue of plastic waste, as it looks to drive improvements across its product range through plastic reduction, recyclability and circularity.

Sainsbury’s is now trayless with its whole chickens, saving over 10 million pieces of plastic a year

Sainsbury’s has announced that its by Sainsbury’s whole chicken range is now totally trayless, after the retailer removed single-use plastic trays from its packaging. Using a minimum of 50% less plastic, the change is estimated to save some 140 tonnes of plastic annually.

The trayless products are available in all stores across the UK and online, helping to reduce the amount of single-use plastic customers have to dispose of at home. The change affects five products in total, including all by Sainsbury’s whole chickens ranging from extra small to extra-large sizes.

Also, the film packaging can still be recycled at one of Sainsbury’s front-of-store flexible plastics recycling points (available at all Sainsbury’s UK supermarkets).

The move is the latest in a string of plastic reductions as part of the retailer’s ongoing commitment to halve its use of own brand plastic packaging by 2025. Last month, the retailer removed single-use plastic lids from its own brand dip pots, including household favourites including guacamole, tzatziki and sour cream and chive dip.

As part of its wider sustainability commitments, Sainsbury’s is also dedicated to protecting animal welfare across its supply chains. In March, Sainsbury’s made improvements to its chicken welfare standards, by moving all its fresh and frozen own brand by Sainsbury’s chicken to a lower stocking density. The move means its chickens now have 20% more space than the Red Tractor UK industry standard.

The retailer has also introduced more enrichment bales, pecking objects and platforms for perching, giving its chickens the freedom to express their natural behaviours, helping them live happier and healthier lives.