Posted by: Papp Noémi
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Post Date: 2023.08.29.
Packaging has a major impact on reducing food waste
We are harming the environment and also our wallets when we let food spoil and throw it away. The phenomenon has reached global proportions, with UN statistics showing that a third of the world’s land is costly and laboriously producing food that is then thrown away.
A staggering figure: from farmland to consumer tables, almost 57 million tonnes of food, or 127 kg of food per head of population, ends up as waste in Europe in a year*. Of this, 55% is household-related: the average EU citizen throws away 70 kg of food every year. It is no coincidence that reducing food waste is one of the sustainability challenges. Overproduction, oversupply and long delivery times are also contributing to this phenomenon. When consumers become food wasters, not only does the packaging become environmentally harmful, but the food itself becomes waste, putting pressure on the Earth. As part of the “From Farm to Table” strategy, the European Commission has committed to halving the amount of food waste per head at retail and consumer level by 2030.
What is waste? Waste is when food goes to waste that, if we were careful, we could have eaten. Food that has expired, food that is unsaleable because of damaged packaging, falls into this category. There is now a legal basis for redistributing expired but still safe food for donation. In March 2021, a regulation was published that allowed the donation of expired food within the European Union if it meets the food safety conditions laid down in the regulation. And in April, another piece of legislation provided the possibility for retail establishments to freeze fresh meat and redistribute it for food donation. It was also suggested that best-before labels could be abandoned and that it would be enough to give customers a sell-by date.
Well packaged
Packaging therefore has a big impact on reducing food waste. How? Food packaging is the area where the greatest demands are placed, as products for human consumption must be packaged as safely as possible – to ensure that the texture and quality of the product is not compromised and that it retains its freshness for as long as possible. If a bakery product, fruit or even cereal can stay on the shelves or in the fridge for as long as possible because the packaging supports it, then everyone will benefit in the long run. Sipospack Ltd. has long strived to offer its customers environmentally friendly alternatives. That’s why recyclable and biodegradable packaging options are available from its portfolio. These are bio-based, biodegradable and can be composted industrially or at home. Unique in the range is the wide range of foil bag production options, micro- and macro- or laser perforation, flexo or digital printing, lamination.
Extended preservation time
The expectations of our consumer society are also reflected in the fact that we want the goods we buy in the shop to stay fresh for a long time, and the shelf life of food is increasingly being extended. The choice of the right packaging paper supports this. In addition to this, it is also important to consider how much the packaging paper harms the environment. By using homogeneous raw materials, Sipospack Ltd. enables waste processors to return the material back into the cycle as quickly and easily as possible.
Which one should we choose?
The properties of the packaging are well adapted to the different types of food. For example, PLA packaging is 100% biodegradable. It has good oxygen and aroma retention properties. Like paper, it can be folded, and it is weldable, grease, oil and alcohol resistant. Suggested uses: bakery products, dairy products, perishables, fresh products, labels, sweets, and snacks.
Cellulose film is very similar to plastic film in appearance and packaging properties, but has the special feature that it can be composted at home. It is 100% biodegradable. They can be printed, welded, glued, flavour-retaining, moisture-resistant, breathable and other properties can be added with special glaze layers. Suggested uses: fruit and vegetable, baking, confectionery, hygiene, dried fruit, seed packaging, teas, laminating and other pouch making.
The so-called “flexible packaging paper“, which is in the company’s portfolio under the brand name “Sipos paper” – a heat-sealable paper made from virgin fiber pulp with an oxygen, grease, and mineral oil barrier. This allows it to be used for primary and secondary packaging as it meets the most stringent food safety requirements for temperature-sensitive products. Its excellent running properties mean that it behaves on the converting and on the packaging line just like other materials: it prints well – either flexo or in small runs with digital printing, it can be resized. Its structure is stable. It has a high flex-crack resistance. It is flexible, easy to bend and elastic. It contains no optical brighteners.
The Doyppack kraft offered by Sipospack Ltd. is made from a single material, PP polypropylene, and because it is homogeneous, it is fully recyclable. The company supports the recycling of packaging materials by producing single-use products. This reduces our environmental impact and food waste.
*Eurostat survey for the year 2021.
