MONDI has worked with Skånemejerier to create a mono-material polypropylene (PP) based packaging for, among others, ICA’s Hushållsost cheese.
The new packaging comprises a mono-material base web and lidding film, produced and printed by Mondi before being converted for 1kg and 2kg blocks of cheese by Skånemejerier. It will be sold in Swedish supermarket ICA and now comes in packaging designed for recycling.
Mondi said its solution provides high barriers against oxygen and water vapours, keeping the product fresh. It is also described as offering high puncture resistance and ‘great printability’ so that brand and recycling messages can be communicated on-pack.
This packaging is being launched in the same time period as Site Zero, a sorting facility for used plastic packaging, will open its doors in Sweden. The site will process used plastic waste from Sweden and Finland.
Helene Brynell, regional sales Nordic consumer flexibles at Mondi, said, “Fresh products like cheese need to be packaged properly – and protection must go hand in hand with sustainable packaging. Our new mono-material solution is fulfilling exactly that: it keeps the cheese fresh while also keeping the packaging materials in circulation through design for recycling.”
Ingemar Jönsson, packaging manager, Skånemejerier, added, “Our collaboration with Mondi has been a thorough process: we started our first test and trials in 2019 and are delighted to be bringing this fully recyclable packaging to market before the end of 2023. The great working relationship we had, meant that we were able to adapt materials and machinery efficiently, resulting in a successful, fit for purpose solution.”
Rickard Jansson, development engineer at Swedish Plastic Recycling, commented, “By using mono-material film instead of laminate consisting of different types of plastic, we can sort out and recycle the packaging that is left in the system, thus avoiding incineration. With Site Zero’s new technology, this PP film-based packaging will be able to become new products, which has not been possible in any facility in Sweden before. It provides circular plastic flows that reduce the need for fossil raw materials and combustion.”
