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#1 Retailer rewards shoppers for packs collected for recycling with free product
Natura is a Brazilian global personal care cosmetics group headquartered in São Paulo. The business is boosting its sustainability credentials with the launch of a reverse logistics programme to encourage consumers to recycle often difficult packaging. For every five full-size packs that shoppers bring back to participating cosmetics stores, they will receive a free new pack as a generous recycling incentive. The activity applies across Natura’s four Brazilian retail brands: Avon, Natura, The Body Shop and Aesop. The operation is taking place in conjunction with global recycling experts TerraCycle who are responsible for managing the collection and subsequent recycling of the packaging. The collected material will create new plastic items such as garden furniture, plant pots, traffic cones, vegetable boxes and other utensils. The activity is taking place in 60 Brazilian Natura shopping stores and 35 The Body Shop outlets. The purpose is to promote the accurate disposal of packaging, recycling with an over-arching circular economy. The initiative is part of Natura’s recently launched “Commitment to Life” plan.
#2 Spout attachment reduces plastic use by approximately 50%
Tokyo-based chemical and cosmetics company Kao Corporation has been striving to reduce plastic consumption with the development of a new packaging solution that promises to reduce plastic use by a reported 50% compared with plastic bottles with a pump dispenser. The Raku-raku Switch attaches directly to its Eco-Pack Refill packs to turn them into primary packaging to reduce plastic use compared to plastic bottles that use a pump dispenser. The Raku-raku Switch attaches to the opening of the refill pack, which is made of plastic film. At the other end of the switch is a dispenser spout. In the middle is a soft button that when pressed releases a fixed amount of the liquid contents to be dispensed. This makes the product easy to use with little physical effort required The design also helps maintain a sanitary state by preventing air and water from entering even whilst the contents are being dispensed. The solution also ensures that all the liquid content is used. Kao plans to study its application in a wide range of future products.
More info in The Innovation Zone.
#3 Blueberry lidding film and punnet for can now be recycled together
Asda has a mission to make all of its own brand packaging across all materials 100% recyclable by 2025. The Wallmart-owned retailer and the third biggest in the UK is working on many packaging initiatives to make this a reality. One of these is the announcement of the introduction of the first 100% recyclable blueberry punnet, including the film lid. The supermarket chain’s initiative will mean that 5.5 million previously unrecyclable film lids can now be recycled alongside the punnet every year. The first 100% recyclable blueberry punnet means shoppers can now recycle the punnets and film as a whole, without removing the lid. The punnets have been designed so that the film lid cannot be removed making the whole tray recycling process intuitive and straight forward. Customers can now purchase the 100% recyclable blueberry punnets in-store and online. The retailer has announced the plans for a trial on several other fruit punnets including grapes and tomatoes that could ultimately save around 110 million lids per year. The packaging has been created by second-largest privately owned food processing business in the UK, IPL International Procurement and Logistics
More info in The Innovation Zone.
#4 Washable Snack’n’Go food bag reduces single-use sandwich packaging
The drive to reduce single-use packaging and decrease household plastic waste has led to some inventive reusable pack alternatives from around the world. European retailer Spar is on the case and has introduced a new reusable packaging solution for food items for their Interspar hypermarket chain across Hungary. The washable Snack’n’Go food bag is a BPA-free solution, suitable for the packaging of a variety of different items such as fruit and vegetables, sandwiches and even seeds. The inside of the distinctive-looking bag is made of a stain repellent material. It does not allow moisture to pass through but still offers excellent breathability to help keep produce in optimum condition. It is not clear how much this will cost shoppers to purchase. See also Reusable sandwich bag pushes for funding.
More info in The Innovation Zone.
Packaging question of the week
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Last week: 60% say that the packaging industry starting to get back to pre-Covid 19 normality.
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Until next time. Happy innovating.
