SWISS dairy product producer Emmi has announced its commitment to a circular economy through the use of entirely recyclable packaging by 2027.
The company, which is behind brands such as Caffé Latte and Onken, said that its current existing packaging and waste system is ‘dominated’ by disposable packaging and linear production systems.
Under its new strategy, it would also increase the proportion of recycled materials used to ‘at least’ 30% – with the Caffé Latte brand first in line for change, with its packaging to contain a proportion of recycled polypropylene by September.
Gerold Schatt, head of sustainability at Emmi Group, said, “In our view, the waste of valuable resources in the packaging sector is unsustainable. Accordingly, Emmi is actively committed to optimising, reducing and closing energy and material cycles in its own production processes and in conjunction with partners and organisations, including as a founding member of PRISMA.”
The firm also announced its intention to work with partners in the packaging industry to provide ‘impetus’ for environmentally friendly and resource-saving packaging – with utilising recycled materials in their packaging being given as an example.
The company said, “If these are in demand, this creates an incentive to collect and process the corresponding packaging. Emmi is now making a conscious first step with its most successful brand, Emmi Caffè Latte. From September 2021, the first cups with recycled content will be available in the chiller cabinet.
“The legal requirements are strict when it comes to packaging for food. Only a few materials are even approved for this purpose. Recycled polypropylene from mechanical recycling (rPP) is not approved by food safety authorities, such as the European Food Safety Association (EFSA). This does not apply to polypropylene from chemical recycling (circular polypropylene or cPP).
“However, the new technology for sourcing cPP is still in its infancy. For this reason, cPP is currently only available in limited quantities. Emmi was one of only a small number of food manufacturers to secure a share of cPP – thanks in part to its early commitment and close ties with long-standing partners Greiner Packaging and Borealis.”
