These initiatives highlight the ongoing efforts to innovate within packaging and recycling,vhelping industries to reduce their environmental impact and move closer to a sustainable, circular economy.
Learn more about ThePackHub's Innovation Zone here.
PepsiCo introduces squeeze bottle with recycled plastic to support dip sauce consumption
Unilever Alimentos and PepsiCo, both operating in São Paulo, Brazil, have introduced a new range of dip sauces under the Hellmann’s brand, supported by packaging designed for convenience and alignment with evolving consumption habits. The sauces are presented in a squeeze bottle format already used within Hellmann’s flavored mayonnaise range, ensuring consistency across the product portfolio. From a packaging perspective, the bottle is made from 100% recyclable material and incorporates 60% post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic, reflecting efforts to reduce virgin plastic usage. The squeeze format enables controlled dispensing, which is particularly relevant for dip-style consumption, where portion control and ease of sharing are important. The design also supports direct application onto snacks, reducing the need for additional utensils and improving convenience in informal consumption settings such as social gatherings. Structurally, the bottle is adapted for viscous products, maintaining flow performance while preserving product integrity during use and storage.
The project uses data collection and contamination monitoring to evaluate capture rates and identify effective bin placement strategies.ThePackHub
Keep Scotland Beautiful's dedicated cup recycling bins trialed across Edinburgh
Keep Scotland Beautiful, based in Stirling, Scotland, alongside the City of Edinburgh Council and the National Cup Recycling Scheme, has launched a trial of dedicated recycling bins for single-use takeaway coffee cups across Edinburgh, Scotland. The initiative introduces specialized collection points in high-footfall transport and commuter locations including Market Street, Waverley Bridge, and Haymarket Station, as well as within more than 30 participating retail outlets across the city center, Leith, Stockbridge, Tollcross, and the Southside. The program is designed to assess whether dedicated public infrastructure can improve collection and recycling rates for takeaway cups, which are typically made from paperboard lined with a thin plastic coating that prevents them from being processed through conventional household recycling systems. The project uses data collection and contamination monitoring to evaluate capture rates and identify effective bin placement strategies. The trial also incorporates a “Take It Back” system, enabling consumers to return cups to participating retailers regardless of where the cup was purchased. Data gathered from previous schemes in Glasgow and Dundee is being used to support the Edinburgh rollout and assess scalability for wider deployment across Scotland. The initiative focuses on increasing visibility and accessibility for cup recycling while addressing contamination challenges associated with mixed waste streams in public recycling bins.
The 1,100 ml polypropylene (PP) container was designed to challenge the common assumption within the dairy sector that lightweight packaging is best achieved using round formats.ThePackHub
Bieze Food Group's rectangular yogurt packaging reduces material use and improves logistics
SFA Packaging, based in the Netherlands, has developed a lightweight rectangular yogurt container for Bieze Food Group, also based in the Netherlands, in collaboration with Dutch retail organization Superunie. The 1,100 ml polypropylene (PP) container was designed to challenge the common assumption within the dairy sector that lightweight packaging is best achieved using round formats. Rectangular dairy packaging is often associated with higher material usage due to increased structural requirements, but SFA Packaging aimed to create a format with comparable weight to a conventional round yogurt cup while maintaining strength and visual quality. The company achieved this through optimized wall thickness and a carefully engineered structure. Beyond material reduction, the rectangular format was developed to improve logistics efficiency across the supply chain. Up to 33% more packs can reportedly fit per tray compared with traditional round containers, reducing empty transport space and improving refrigerated storage efficiency. The design also considers consumer use, as the rectangular shape fits more efficiently into refrigerator doors. The packaging is produced entirely in the Netherlands using locally sourced PP material, shortening transport distances and contributing to lower CO2 emissions and an improved Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) profile.
Learn more about ThePackHub's Innovation Zone here.
