Graphic Packaging has partnered with UK supermarket Morrisons on a photographic print pressed board tray for the retailer’s private label steak portfolio.
One of four recyclable cartonboard tray solutions to be introduced by Morrisons for its premium, core, and entry-level steak lines, the pack will apparently eliminate 250 tonnes of plastic per year from the retailer’s supply chain. Graphic Packaging claims the premium trays are the ‘first on the market’ to incorporate its advanced photo-quality print technology on the face of the tray.
The pressed board vacuum skin (VSP) trays can be used in a wide range of fresh food applications, including deli meats, cheese, and fish.
The core range is produced with unbleached cartonboard, while the entry-level ‘Savers’ range is produced with bleached cartonboard. The pressed trays are vacuum sealed, said to offer shelf life equivalent to plastic, and run on Morrisons Manufacturing’s existing equipment with no investment required.
Lauren Hutchinson, new business sales director, Trays & Cups at Graphic Packaging, said: “This commercialization is the result of close collaboration between the Morrisons team and three of our sites – Winsford in the UK, and Lund and Tibro in Sweden. We combined the strength of our global network with a clear focus on local customer service to deliver tailored innovations that delivered packaging excellence to Morrisons and their consumers.”
Dan Barnes, procurement manager at Morrisons, added: “We know British shoppers look for packaging that helps them reduce their plastic consumption while also providing quality and value in their purchases, and we’re committed to delivering on these priorities. Our partnership with Graphic Packaging is a great one, as we worked towards our shared goal of delivering innovative, easily recyclable, cartonboard packaging that meets the needs of our consumers.”
Last month, Eastman and SEE (formerly Sealed Air) launched a lightweight, certified compostable tray, designed to replace traditional polystyrene foam alternatives in protein packaging applications. Made from wood pulp and acetyl from a portfolio of recycled material, the tray is certified as home compostable by TÜV Austria, and as industrially compostable by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI).
Earlier in the month, ICA Sweden announced that Stora Enso’s moulded wood fibre trays would be implemented for flowers in place of traditional polystyrene alternatives, claiming the transition will reduce CO2 emissions by up to 81%. The trays reportedly consist of ‘sustainably sourced’ Nordic wood fibre and are produced using 100% green electricity.
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