The packaging industry is experiencing a substantial shift in materials, primarily driven by objectives centered around sustainability. The replacement of plastic remains a priority for many brands and retailers, as they seek alternatives that may provide a smaller environmental footprint or at least be more favorably received by consumers focused on anti-plastic.
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Amazon's three packaging options in Europe are curbside recyclable across the brand's European markets.ThePackHub
Amazon has announced that it has ended the use of non-recyclable packaging across Europe. The company says that all deliveries will be packed in either a flexible paper bag, board envelope or a corrugated board box. The three packaging options are being touted as easy to open and recyclable at home in all of Amazon’s European markets. These changes will apply to orders shipped from Amazon’s own warehouses and also to those being sent via third parties through the ‘Fulfilment by Amazon’ platform. Amazon highlighted that these changes will not detract from its ongoing work to ship products in their boxes without any additional packaging. Over the past year, the number of products provided in SIOC ‘ships in own container’ formats increased by 50%. These changes, combined, mean that Amazon has mitigated the use of more than a reported billion single-use plastic delivery bags from its European distribution since 2018.
Subway's switch to recyclable fiber-based catering platters helps eliminate 26 garbage trucks worth of plastic annually.ThePackHub
Subway, the global sandwich chain, has partnered with Detpak in an effort to eliminate 26 garbage trucks’ worth of plastic annually by replacing its plastic takeaway catering trays with 100% curbside recyclable platters. Manufactured in Australia and New Zealand by Detpak, a subsidiary of the South Australian packaging company Detmold Group, the new fiber-based catering platter, designed and tested at Detpak’s LaunchPad R&D laboratory in Adelaide, is aimed at easy assembly, efficient storage, and transportation. The collaboration between Detpak and Subway reflects a commitment to innovative, sustainable packaging, with Detpak Group emphasizing the importance of reducing single-use plastic for environmental and social responsibility. Subway sees the shift to 100% recyclable alternatives as a step toward the broader goal of ensuring all packaging is recyclable, compostable, or biodegradable.
The new molded fiber packaging for Pizzarette protects the product's terracotta or ceramic dome while minimizing environmental impact.ThePackHub
Pizzarette is an innovative cooking device that prepares pizza directly at the table, which is distributed across the Benelux countries, Germany and Switzerland by EmerioBV. To make the oven more sustainable, the distributor has been studying alternative packaging materials. The solution that has been chosen is that of molded pulp. The dome of the oven is made of terracotta or ceramic and is, therefore, somewhat vulnerable. Tests have shown that it is best to pack the domes with molded pulp. The material has minimal environmental impact and is said to provide excellent cushioning properties to keep the domes safe during transport. Also, packaging made from molded pulp is made from recycled material and is therefore 100% recyclable. This meets modern packaging standards and reduces environmental impact as factories emit less nitrogen oxides NO and NO2 and CO2. The result is that 10,000 m3 of EPS and 1.2 million plastic bags per year are replaced.
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