RETAILER Aldi and dairy cooperative Arla have again teamed up with recycling platform Polytag on a pilot project to track milk bottle packaging through the recycling process using UV-tagging technology.
Building on a 2023 collaboration, the brands are working to improve packaging traceability. The project utilises Sun Chemical’s specially developed ink on wrap-around labels to provide recycling data.
Invisible UV-tagged labels are applied to Arla’s milk bottle range at its Oakthorpe site. The labels, printed by Saica Flex, will enable real-time tracking of packaging as it moves through the recycling stream.
The tags are printed directly onto packaging labels using food-safe fluorescent ink. The ink is applied using standard printing methods.
Unlike the 2023 trial, which used pressure-sensitive labels, this iteration employs wrap-around labels, providing ‘enhanced durability and coverage’.
When tagged packaging enters the recycling stream, Polytag’s Plastic Detection Units installed at Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs) capture barcode-level data in real-time. This information provides brands and retailers with detailed visibility of their packaging’s journey.
Alice Rackley, CEO, Polytag, said, “This next phase deployment with Aldi and Arla milk bottle labels demonstrates the scalability and reliability of the UV-tagging solution. It’s been a pleasure working with Saica Flex to deliver this latest stage of the project, demonstrating the value of collaboration in bringing innovative packaging solutions to market. This represents continued progress in packaging design, offering brands a seamless, cost-effective path to comprehensive recycling insights.”
