Recycled-content legislation has receded, environmentalists have been quiet and virgin PET is plentiful and cheap. Packagers are divided on whether to continue their commitments to use post-consumer resin in the U.S. market.
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In early May, Pepsi-Cola Co., Somers, NY, began testing its Quick Grip PET bottle in four Detroit area supermarkets. "Ease of handling and pouring, that's what's being tested here," says Pepsi spokesperson Larry Jabbonsky.
Campbell Soup Co. attracted considerable attention in early '96 when it launched a heat-set polyethylene terephthalate bottle for V8 vegetable juice (see PW, Apr.
Superior thermal properties, chemical resistance, and high barrier to oxygen transmission have made PEN and other naphthalate-based materials irresistable for a hot-filled isotonic drink and for citrus juices.
Sonoco's (Hartsville, SC) new 55-gal open-head HDPE drum is designed for overseas shipments of liquid and solid food products, including citrus juices.
Italian shoemaker challenges packaging conventions by adopting a vertical gable-top package that resembles both a doctor's bag and a milk carton. Patented carton design offers environmental advantages in waste-conscious Europe.
Private label orange juice producer Lykes-Pasco, based in Dade City, FL, hopes that by licensing the Sunkist brand name and using it prominently on its package, it can be successful with a new premium-branded orange juice.