Ochsenhausen, Germany-based Südpack has developed a food packaging solution that successfully combines performance with sustainability.
The new Skin packaging concept - combining a Skin Multi SV top film (150 µm) and base film Ecoterm VP (250 µm) - has been granted a certificate of recyclability from Institute cyclos-HTP, a German institute for research and development specialised in the classification, assessment and certification of recyclability of packaging and goods. The packaging system achieved an overall score of 74 percent, placing it in Class A for recyclable packaging.
“The new concept represents a further milestone on our roadmap to sustainable packaging, which we first presented to a broad audience at the FachPack last September,” said Carolin Grimbacher, managing partner and head of research and development.
The company introduced its roadmap as a means to embed all in-house packaging development in a sustainability-centred scenario.
The three focus areas are downgauging, i.e., on creating films that are as thin as possible; an increased use of recyclable materials and of renewable raw materials.
The Multi SV Skin concept not only ticks all three boxes, but it also offers a longer product shelf life compared to modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), claims Südpack and contributes therefore to a substantial reduction in food waste throughout the supply chain.
In addition, the Skin packaging solution allows users to reduce material consumption by ca. 18 percent compared to tray packaging and MAP – an important issue with all food producers, especially in light of the German Packaging Act.
The Skin packaging solution with dovetailing top and base foils offers a highly practical and resource-efficient choice, and can moreover, easily accommodating extreme undercuts and products that protrude beyond the tray. This makes the use of shallower trays and bottoms possible, which translates into reduced material consumption. The film fits the product like a glove, optimally fixing it to the base and ensuring it cannot slip out, even during transport.