In parts of Germany, retailer Aldi will offer grape juice under its own brand Rio d'oro in SIG’s new 1-L aseptic carton packs made of SIG Terra Alu-free, a full barrier packaging material. By choosing this packaging format, Aldi and SIG say that it will reduce the carbon footprint of conventional multi-serve cartons by 29%. The products are produced and filled at the Italian beverage and food producer Quargentan, using the contract manufacturer and packager’s existing SIG Midi 12 Aseptic filling machine.
Terra Alu-free full barrier packaging material is made from more than 80% paper and replaces the aluminum layer with an ultra-thin polymer coating that protects products against oxygen, light, moisture, and aroma loss, the company says. According to SIG, the new carton format cuts the number of raw materials from three to two and can lower the carbon footprint of multi-serve aseptic cartons by up to 61% when combined with forest-based polymers—without compromising full barrier function, shelf life or filling line performance.
“At SIG, one of our goals is to increase the paper content in our aseptic cartons to at least 90% – including the closure – by 2030, allowing further reduction of carbon emissions, and creating a regenerative food packaging system. On the way there, we have developed this packaging structure that is made of more than 80% paper and reduces the number of raw materials from three to two”, says José Matthijsse, president & general manager Europe at SIG. “This breakthrough innovation has the potential to streamline the recycling process for aseptic cartons, only requiring the separation of paperboard and polymers.”
SIG says this is the world’s first full barrier packaging material for aseptic cartons without an aluminum layer.
