SEVEN major UK food retailers have switched to the new K3 r100 self-separating packaging solution from Greiner Packaging UK & Ireland, for their own-brand instant porridge pots.
K3 r100 is the latest evolution of the original K3 cardboard-plastic cup, which was invented by Greiner Packaging over 40 years ago. Developed to reduce plastic material usage, K3 features a unique tear-tab that allows consumers to separate the cardboard outer wrap from the lightweight plastic cup to aid recycling.
With K3 r100, the materials separate themselves before they reach the near-infrared detection (NIR) system at the recycling facility, leading to proper detection, sorting and recycling. K3 r100 therefore enables cardboard and plastic to be assigned to the correct material streams during the initial sorting process.
“Waitrose, Greggs, Morrisons, M&S, Tesco, Lidl and Asda have all moved their successful ready to eat instant porridge brands to our increasingly popular award-winning K3 r100 packaging solution,” explained Greiner Packaging UK & Ireland sustainability and innovation manager Rachel Sheldon. “We are excited to see so many UK retailers realising the benefits of our self-separating packaging solution, following Symington’s which became the first UK food producer to move over to K3 r100 for its Oatburst instant porridge brand last July.
“The K3 r100 product innovation has made the impossible possible. The cardboard wrap and plastic packaging separate from each other without human intervention during the waste disposal process. This means that achieving a high recyclability rate does not depend on proper separation by the end consumer – which was the case with all previous K3 packaging – as it now happens completely independently before the used packaging reaches the recycling facility.”
