A plastic-free salad packaging solution has been developed by Sirane as part of a project working with some major brands in France.
(RE)SET Packaging are a consultancy company specialised in the circular economy, who looked worldwide for the most innovative providers of sustainable packaging working in the food sector. Carrefour and LSDH (owners of the Les Crudettes salad brand) signed up to an ambitious pact, with Carrefour promising to make all packaging recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025.
Sirane was among the innovative packaging suppliers shortlisted to work on potential solutions – and nine months on the plastic-free packaging solution is the first potential (RE)SET Packaging product launch on the horizon.
Simon Balderson, Sirane MD, said: “In France alone, 290 million ready-to-eat salads are sold every year. They have always been sold in a plastic-packaging which cannot be recycled, meaning a huge amount of waste going into landfill.
“We’ve managed to perfect a coated paper which still gives the necessary shelf-life. The bags have some translucency – especially when in direct contact with the salad – and there is no need for the producers to use an anti-fog treatment.”
The planned launch date for the salad bags – which can be recycled as part of the paper recycling stream - is currently planned for early 2021.
The Carrefour Group has more than 5,000 stores in France, ranging from hypermarkets to local stores, while Les Crudettes is France’s most well-known ready-to-eat salad brand, producing more than 20,000 tonnes of salad every year.
The salad bags – which are a variant of our popular Earthfilm paper packaging range - will be used for Les Crudettes salads and Carrefour-branded salads.
In 2019, France announced plans to introduce a tax on packaging made from non-recycled plastic, which would result in such products costing up to 10% more.
And on January 1 this year France took its first steps towards phasing out single-use plastics. The ban started with plastic plates, cups and cotton buds, and plastic straws and cutlery will follow January 1, 2021, while 2022 is expected to see a ban on plastic tea bags and toys distributed free of charge in fast food restaurants.
France as a nation pledged to use only recycled plastics by 2025 – but some retailers and producers, including Carrefour, signed up to even more ambitious targets.
Similarly, the UK plans to introduce a plastics tax on all packaging that does not include at least 30 per cent recycled material by April 2022.
Earthfilm is a plastic-free packaging film which is recyclable in the paper stream. Sirane can also supply it as a pre-formed pouch – the award-winning Earthpouch.
