Arla has revealed new packaging for its skyr product which it says is made with 40% less plastic to ensure a 30% CO2 reduction.
The company reports that this move will result in a CO2 reduction of 440 tonnes of CO2 a year, across the approximately 17 million 1 kilo skyr buckets that are sold in its core markets.
The cut in CO2 is, according to Arla, primarily driven by a significant plastic reduction. It says that each bucket has sixteen grams less plastic than the former packaging and that the bucket and lid are now 100% recyclable.
This reportedly ensures a plastic saving of 40%, corresponding to 270 tonnes of plastic per year. The reduced plastic is replaced with a cardboard wrapper made from FSC-certified cardboard, which apparently originates from responsibly managed forests. Arla says that the cardboard is easy to separate for consumers and can be recycled.
“Using less plastic is a key part of Arla’s packaging strategy. We are constantly looking to reduce our carbon footprint and increase the sustainability of our packaging. And there is no doubt that reducing plastic is a vital aspect to achieve that goal. Therefore, we work closely together with our suppliers, researchers, and customers to find solutions to minimize the use of plastic,” says Lise Berg Kildemark, director of sustainable packaging.
“Last year we converted more than one billion packaging items to sustainable materials across Europe. With our new skyr buckets we take the next step. We have minimized the use of plastic and reduced use of fossil-based material.”
To start with, the new skyr buckets will be available for consumers in five of Arla’s core markets: Denmark, Germany, Sweden, UK and the Netherlands.
