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Google is inviting food and beverage companies that offer single-use, plastic-free packaging solutions to apply for its Single-Use Plastics Challenge to reduce the food service industry’s plastic footprint and implement more sustainable solutions at its own sites.

The initiative is being hosted in collaboration with premier food service management company Canteen alongside other food service partners. Successful entrants will be given the opportunity to pitch their solutions to Google and test them at its cafes and MicroKitchens in the US.

In turn, Google hopes to cut single-use disposable products out of its onsite food service operations and implement more reusable packaging, distribution, and delivery solutions. Each product is expected to meet federal, state, and local food safety regulations, as well as the Google Food programme’s health, environmental, social, and financial standards.

As 91% of plastic goes unrecycled and ends up in landfill or the environment, according to National Geographic, Google hopes that its initiative will contribute towards wider industrial action to usher in a circular economy for packaging.

Reusable container company BIBAK raised €6 million in additional funding in February and expected to use the money to take advantage of the French ban on single-use packaging in restaurants and cafes.

TotalEnergies’ RE:newable polymer has also been applied to food-contact drop-in solutions by Intraplás in pursuit of a lower carbon footprint for customers.

Last year, the Google for Startups Ukraine Support Fund awarded $100,000 to Releaf Paper to assist in its production of paper packaging from cellulose fibre found in fallen leaves.

Source:

https://packagingeurope.com/news/google-launches-single-use-plastic-challenge-in-search-of-plastic-free-single-use-food-service-packaging

Pepsi and Fanta’s respective new visual identities are optimized for both analog, physical spaces—like packaging—and for the online and digital worlds.

In late March, Pepsi finally unveiled a new logo and visual identity that’s been years in the making. For a brand that had been known for periodically switching up its vibe, it had gone all of 14 years since launching its last iteration. Even so, Pepsi didn’t rush to make the switch. Mauro Porcini, senior vice president, chief design officer, PepsiCo, had recognized a need for new injection of energy a few years back, but the brand carefully timed the rollout to coincide Pepsi’s 125th anniversary in 2023. Porcini and his team say their goal was to build and strengthen visual distinction through the bold type, energetic palette, and a unified logomark.

“The logo design was finalized in the summer of 2021 and from then we started to work on the full visual identity system and execution across touchpoints. But this was a labor of love that started years before that summer, and we’re so thrilled to finally share it with the world,” Porcini told Packaging World. “We wanted to create a new logo and visual identity that connects future generations with our brand’s heritage and feels unapologetically current and undeniably Pepsi. It was also important to us that our new visual identity allows for more seamless and creative collaboration with partners and customers and more versatility to engage fans in the places they shop, dine, work and play. It’s also optimized for today’s digital world, from stadium screens to the metaverse.”

The redesign was developed by PepsiCo Design and Innovation, the company’s in-house creative force that manages 40-plus brands. Given the scale of the project, design agency Mrs&Mr., among other external designers and typographers, partnered with Pepsi to supporting the in-house design team.

It’s always a challenge for long-tenured brands considering package and visual redesigns to thread the needle between updating and refreshing the visual cues, and maintaining the generations of brand equity by retaining the more iconic elements of the identity.

So, what elements of the original design are new, which elements were retained, and why? Porcini notes that Pepsi has a familiar visual heritage, and it was important for he and his team to pay homage to the past, but also to bring a contemporary edge. The color palette, signature typography, and dynamic pulse are entirely new elements, meant to represent the current and future era of Pepsi and allow more flexibility to move between today’s physical and digital worlds. But the iconic globe theme of the logo remains, and in fact hearkens back to earlier iterations of Pepsi globe logos.

“As a brand that interacts with millions of people every day around the world, updating a visual identity is a large-scale endeavor that takes time. That said, we’re very excited about how the new design will show up in the world. The bold, clean, and iconic visual identity will help improve shelf navigation and brand recall, turning transactions into brand-building moments,” Porcini says. “As always, we have a sharp focus on consistently putting our best designs in the market and ensuring we don’t dilute our brand impact or visual distinction. We’re strategically working with our local markets on rollout timing so that we are continuing to build on our brand equity and properly establish familiarity. We are very confident that this redesign will continue to positively propel our brand into the future.”

A key update is the addition of black to the color palette. This is a color-coded reference to Pepsi Zero Sugar, a huge area of focus and a growth driver. It also creates a striking contrast with the new electric blue. The visual identity also incorporates what it calls a “pulse.” Best represented digitally as a moving, .gif-style format, this effect adds a living, breathing design asset that allows Pepsi to flex and customize its look to any setting, platform, or partnership to reach customers in new ways. So far, the rollout and feedback has been all positive.

“Prior to the announcement, we conducted research globally and received a positive response. Specifically, people applauded the attractive color palette, distinctiveness, and overall modern look,” Porcini says. “And now we’ve been thrilled to see how the news has resonated with Pepsi fans around the globe—and even trended on Twitter.”

Fanta unifies design, clarifies flavors

In April, Coca-Cola brand Fanta announced its first ever global brand identity. Designers say the concept encourages playfulness, with bright, bold designs that punch through the routine of everyday life.

“We wanted to portray a brand that values spontaneous play and the benefit it brings. By shifting our focus to reflect an attitude, we were able to revitalize Fanta’s brand assets and reclaim ‘play’ as something that people of all ages can embrace and benefit from,” says Rapha Abreu, global vice president of design at The Coca-Cola Company.

Both virtually (digital spaces) and in real life (on the packaging and other physical spaces), the new, more cohesive visual identity emphasizes fun. The brand color system is comprised of unique, identifiable colors that correspond with specific flavors, like raspberry or cherry. The graphic system, inspired by the new dynamic logo that incorporates .gif-style motion in digital spaces, helps Fanta reinforce playfulness. Created in partnership with Brazilian illustrator Lucas Wakamatsu, illustrations and photography serve to bring a “Pop of Fun-ta” to life by emphasizing the aesthetic of mixed media, layering, imperfection, and storytelling, to create a distinctive point-of-view intended to cut through visual clutter.

“We were really inspired by the idea of bringing playfulness to consumers of all ages when we started to ideate around how to bring the brand’s purpose to the masses. By thinking what this meant for the brand’s expression, attitude, and actions, we were able to build a distinctive brand identity that signaled Fanta’s commitment to fun at every level—from real life to digital,” says Lisa Smith, executive creative director Global, Jones Knowles Ritchie, brand identity and packaging agency who collaborated with Fanta on the project. The legacy logo contained a depiction of an orange, and this appeared even on other flavors like grape and strawberry. By removing the orange, each flavor now carries its own respective juicy, cartoonish fruit signifiers.

Previously, Fanta’s brand identity and packaging system existed in different executions across markets. Now, the Fanta brand will begin to be unified around the world, raising it to sit consistently alongside other iconic brands by The Coca-Cola Company, such as Coca-Cola and Sprite.

One consideration for the brand was its logo, which until this redesign had incorporated an orange as text background, with a stem and a leaf draped across the typography. While this orange-laden logo was Fanta’s only logo, orange wasn’t Fanta’s only flavor. A logo depicting an orange had the potential to confuse consumers selecting other flavors, like pineapple or lime. The new logo retains the brand equity in look and feel but eschews the direct connection to an orange. Each flavor—orange included—uses fun, juicy, cartoonish depictions of the fruit associated with it.

The brand redesign was led by the Coca-Cola Global Design and Jones Knowles Ritchie, with contributions from Relative in packaging guidelines and imagery, Gretel in digital motion identity, and Colophon in typography, among others.

Source:

https://www.packworld.com/design/package-design/article/22847332/pepsi-fanta-consider-digital-space-in-spate-of-soda-facelifts

The annual Safripol Sustainability Conference is being held at the Sandown Hilton from 15-16 March 2023. Thought leaders, captains of industry, and EEHs (Everyday Environmental Heroes) will discuss ‘circularity’ and climate impact within the theme ‘Let’s plastic responsibly’.

It seems that Safripol has already put some words into action. Safripol CEO, Nico Van Niekerk says “To support a local plastic circular economy, we have launched our recycled polymer portfolio, and are excited to bring to market our first rPET product Aspirer, with post-consumer resin in FY 2023”.

The new product is a gamechanger for South African recycling, bringing Safripol closer to achieving the sustainability goals they set themselves to reach by 2025. It is a giant leap forward in the creation of a true local plastic circular economy.

The product offers between 15% and 25% rPET polymer resin for the manufacture of plastic packaging, especially plastic bottles, as a one-bag solution for Safripol customers. The South African Waste Act stipulates that 12.5% must be used, so this solution helps Safripol and manufacturers go beyond compliance.

It will help increase the awareness of the value of plastic waste and therefore help with the drive for more and more recycling. The ultimate value though is a significant reduction in the South African plastics industry’s carbon footprint.

Source

https://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/178/236813.html

When it comes to packaging design, factors such as brand identity and recognition, together with iconic shapes and custom designs, generally tops any reputable brand manager’s list. But what if all these requirements can be met by a generic packaging solution? Let’s explore the benefits of a ‘customised generic pack’.

Reducing cost without reducing quality

In addition to eliminating initial expenditure, such as investments in moulds, a generic pack is often the more cost-effective option due to economies of scale. Being produced in larger quantities, production costs are kept at bay due to fewer mould and material changes in the convertor’s factory.

Moving towards a generic design also affords smaller and well-established brands the benefits of stock security, shorter production and delivery lead times; and improved cash flow due to more frequent, smaller order volumes.

Customisation options

But the humble generic pack does not necessarily eliminate all customisation. Packaging requirements have moved beyond the days of “you can have any colour as long as it is black”. Generic packaging items can still promote brand identity and recognition by being customised, within parameters. Colour, decoration and embossing variations that drive brand differentiation is achievable and can even allow for the same packaging item to be used across diverse product categories.

Keeping EPR compliance front of mind

A generic pack can easily become the environmental star of the show, offering various benefits across the value chain. From a manufacturing perspective, the environmental cost associated with producing multiple moulds are naturally eliminated. A converter can also offer the generic item to a range of brands, allowing them to contribute to larger volumes and lower carbon footprint through more streamlined production processes. This does however mean that the converter will have the responsibility to guide the generic design to remain within the parameters of ‘designing for recyclability’ in order to achieve an optimal recycling rate. This in turn, assists the brands to also move towards full EPR compliance.

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Mpact Plastics is a leading producer of rigid plastic packaging and cling film in southern Africa. We operate out of nine production centres across the country, providing packaging from plants with relevant certifications. We service the food, beverage, personal care, home care, pharmaceutical, agricultural and retail markets. In upholding company values, and as a supporter of the circular economy, we positively contribute to industry associations, enabling various communities to participate in recycling solutions.

For more information and a comprehensive FAQ contact us on Mpact Wadeville FMCG: 011 418 6000 | info@mpactplastics.co.za | www.mpactplastics.co.za

Source

https://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/178/236899.html

With anticipated global growth, from about $209bn in 2017 to $373bn in 2025, manufacturers of nutraceuticals, including functional foods and drinks, are under pressure. Pressure to extend product offerings, regulatory pressure, and pressure to manage production, packaging, and labelling needs for international distribution.

In South Africa, the nutraceuticals market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.60% between 2022 and 2027, primarily driven by consumer lifestyles and the increase in health awareness associated with the consumption of functional foods.

Every vitamin, supplement, nutraceutical or functional food or beverage product needs a label, and some more than one if the product is shipped internationally. Branding is also a significant consideration in influencing consumers’ buying decisions, and labelling legislation is another major factor for manufacturers.

Pyrotec PackMedia’s Multipage Booklet Labels are an ideal solution for this market. Here’s why:

Clear, detailed instructions

Because nutraceutical products may cause a health risk, they need to be correctly applied and safely used. Without compromising the quality of the label, the Multipage Booklet Label provides extensive information in various languages within the space normally used by an adhesive label.

Safety first

Multipage Booklet Labels are permanently secured to the product’s packaging for its entire usable life. The label can’t be lost or accidentally discarded, as can happen with a separate leaflet.

Special features

These labels offer moisture resistance, high durability, and withstand extreme temperatures and storage conditions. Instructions can be printed in Braille, and anti-counterfeiting devices can be added to the label.

Streamlined production

By eliminating the need for separate labels for different languages, and their ability to seamlessly integrate with a manufacturer’s brand identity, they streamline production and simplify inventory management. They also don’t require changes to packaging lines because they’re supplied on-reel for quick, on-pack positioning.

Call Pyrotec PackMedia today to discuss extended product offerings without the labelling headaches.

Source:

https://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/178/237043.html

Nestlé East and Southern African Region (Nestlé ESAR), in partnership with Chilanga Cement, has launched a plastic neutrality project that aims to reduce plastic pollution in Zambia and the surrounding region. This programme forms part of Nestlé ESAR’s new RE sustainability initiative in the country.

The launch of this project in Zambia is in line with this year’s Global Recycling Day (18 March) theme, which is ‘creative innovation’. Nestlé ESAR and Chilanga Cement are bringing together the private sector and local communities using an innovative solution that addresses plastic waste.

Plastic waste is collected by waste reclaimers from Recyclemania, a waste management enterprise in the local community in Lusaka, who work with Chilanga Cement’s sustainability division, Eco Unit. Recyclemania currently collects 120 tonnes of plastic monthly, which is sorted into recyclable PET plastics that gets sold to enterprises that reuse plastic waste. About 10 – 14 tonnes of the remaining non-recyclable plastic are collected, weighed, and co-processed using innovative technology, a process that takes disposal plastic and transforms it into energy recovery, instead of the norm of taking it to dump sites where they end up in landfills.

This disposal is incineration in a closed loop system without residue, ensuring a more environmentally friendly processing that has a direct impact to reduction of landfill waste. The project’s target is to collect 160 tonnes of plastic waste generated in the value chain to be processed monthly which essentially means plastic neutrality for Nestlé in the country.

Speaking at the launch of the project, Zubayer Davids, country business manager for Nestlé in Zambia and Malawi, said, “This is an exciting project for us here in Zambia, and we are pleased to be partnering with a leading local business and the local community in delivering meaningful change in managing waste. We are taking charge, aiming our efforts at reaching plastic neutrality by rethinking how we reduce plastic waste in landfills. Innovation in the ways we dispose of the plastic is at the heart of this project.

“Equally important to note is how this project will help sustain and improve livelihoods in Zambia. We have created and sustained jobs for 37 direct employees and indirectly impacted over 600 community-based collectors within the plastics waste recovery programme, majority who are youth and women in Zambia. That is how we are making the ultimate goal of a waste free future, and reaching net zero by 2050, matter to local communities in the region,” Davids continued.

“With this partnership, will help reduce our carbon footprint by diverting domestic waste from landfills and transforming it into energy resources. We are proud to be part of this project, as it is an example of how companies can work together to create positive change for our environment. This is an important milestone in our journey to achieve net zero waste going to landfills,” said Jianping Chai, chief executive officer of Chilanga Cement.

Source:

https://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/703/237067.html

The South African Plastics Pact collaboration involving some of South Africa’s largest retailers and brands is driving strong progress in eliminating plastic waste. According to the initiative’s annual report, 34.7 million ‘problematic or unnecessary’ plastic items were diverted from landfills between 2021 and 2022.

The SA Plastics Pact is part of a combined global network of 14 Pacts, spearheaded by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and Wrap, a climate action NGO working around the globe. It is a collaboration of organisations, representing key role players across the plastic packaging value chain, working towards a South African-specific circular economy for plastics in the country.

The initiative is driven to achieve four circular economy goals for plastic packaging by 2025:

• Taking action on problematic and unnecessary packaging.
• Ensuring 100% of plastic packaging is reusable, recyclable or compostable.
• Establishing a minimum 70% effective recycling rate.
• Ensuring an average of 30% recycled content across all members’ plastic packaging.

The 43 SA Plastics Pact members include retailers such as Woolworths, Spar, Clicks and Pick n Pay as well as brand owners Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa, PepsiCo and Tiger Brands, working with businesses, government, Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs) and NGOs to tackle plastics waste and pollution at its source.

Problematic and unnecessary plastic items

In South Africa, around 2.4 million tonnes of plastic waste are generated annually, equivalent to 41kg per capita per year – far above the 29kg per capita per year global average. Just 14% is recycled, and on average, every citizen leaks at least 1.4kg of plastic to the environment every year.

A significant contributor to the mountains of plastic waste in South Africa’s landfills and environment is what is called ‘problematic or unnecessary’ plastic packaging items. These are items that cannot be reused, recycled or composted, which contain or require hazardous chemicals in production, or which hinder or disrupt the recyclability of other items.

Because many of these items are small and can’t or won’t be collected for recycling, they are highly likely to end up as waste in the environment. Taking action in removing these items altogether forms target 1 of the SA Plastics Pact.

The SA Plastics Pact has identified and published a list of ‘problematic or unnecessary’ plastic items which members have begun to phase out.

12 problematic/unnecessary plastic items:

1. PET and PVC shrink sleeves on PET beverage bottles
2. Thin (barrier) bags at tills
3. Oxo-degradable plastics
4. PVC bottles, pallet wrap and labels
5. Plastic stickers on fruit and vegetables
6. Thin filmed barrier bags for fruit and vegetables (50% reduction)
7. Plastic straws
8. Plastic stirrers
9. Single-use plastic picnic cutlery and plastic plates and bowls
10. Cotton buds with plastic stems
11. Plastic lollipop sticks
12. Plastic microbeads in cosmetics

Out of the 96.3 million problematic or unnecessary items sold or distributed by SA Plastics Pact members in 2021, the biggest problems were (and remain) PET/PVC shrink sleeves on PET bottles, which contributed 475 tonnes, as well as the thin lightweight barrier bags at tills. PET/PVC shrink sleeves discolour and disrupt the recycling of rigid PET bottles, which otherwise has one of the highest recycling rates in the country whilst barrier bags represent one of the highest number of items reported, despite not being recycled and highly littered.

Encouraging progress

The SA Plastics Pact has made progress in achieving its top priority, as detailed in its most recent annual report. One of the highlights from the 2021/2022 report is that “34.7 million fewer problematic or unnecessary items were sold/distributed by members in 2021″.

This is the result of a variety of strategies implemented by members including, for example, the introduction of paper stems and sticks for earbuds and lollipop sticks; and the removal, altogether, of plastic straws, plastic stirrers and plastic stickers.

In addition, with regard to the top two problematic items, around 3.2 million PET/PVC shrink sleeves on PET beverage bottles were removed by the end of 2021; while 19.3 million barrier bags at tills were removed during 2022.

Waste reduction efforts

Among the waste reduction efforts among members, Pick n Pay entirely removed plastic barrier bags at till points, which accounts for 21% of barrier bags in stores. Similarly, Clicks has reduced PET/PVC labels on PET bottles, selling just 0.13 tonnes in 2021 compared to 1.44 tonnes in 2020.

In addition, some members are currently looking at reuse-refill dispensing solutions to eliminate on-the-go packaging. Some examples include the Sonke Pilot Project with Unilever involving refills for Sunlight Liquid and Unilever developing a partnership with Triple Shine for refills in spaza shops. A pilot project with V&A Waterfront has led to a ‘rent-a-reusable cup’ deposit-return system for beverages at the Oranjezicht City Farm Market in Cape Town.

Consumers are urged to contribute towards this progress by familiarising themselves with the ‘problematic and unnecessary’ plastic items, avoiding their use, and ensuring they don’t end up as litter or in a landfill.

How to spot problematic/unnecessary plastic items:

• Cannot be reused, recycled or composted.
• Contain or require hazardous chemicals in production.
• Hinder or disrupt the recyclability of other items.

Source:

https://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/348/237048.html

UK – British supermarket chain Sainsbury’s has introduced sustainable packaging for its own-brand liquid laundry detergent.

Rolling out in all stores and online this week, the new design looks to help customers reduce plastic at home and will see all of its own-brand 750ml laundry detergents switching from sleeved plastic bottles to cardboard cartons.

The products will be available across the Big 4 grocer’s tropical super concentrated, bio super concentrated, non-bio super concentrated, color super concentrated and lavender super concentrated lines.

The new design will be available in the new packaging at all Sainsbury’s stores and online from this week.

Sainsbury’s new packaging, which is 35% lighter and can be recycled at kerbside or at recycling banks, will take 13 lorries off the road each year and reduce carbon emissions of this range by 50%.

In addition, the laundry liquid has also been reformulated and is now super concentrated, with a smaller amount of detergent required per wash, allowing five additional washes per carton.

According to the company, the packaging is expected to reduce the use of plastic by 80%, saving around 22 tonnes of plastic a year. It is made from cardboard certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

This comes as part of a string of plastic reductions across Sainsbury’s household range, as part of its commitment to halve its use of own brand plastic packaging by 2025.

The latest move comes nine months since Sainsbury’s launched its own-brand refillable handwash pouches in an effort to help customers reduce their consumption of plastic waste.

The pouches use 85% less plastic than the equivalent number of 250ml The Collection bottles, as well as costing 35% less than other equivalent bottles.

Sainsbury’s at the time said: “The 1L pouches use 85% less plastic and will help customers to reduce the amount of plastic waste in their homes by simply reusing their handwash bottle and pump and refilling from a Sainsbury’s handwash pouch.”

In a move to reduce plastic in its packaging, the supermarket chain also introduced a vacuum-packed alternative across its beef mince range, saving 450 tonnes of plastic annually.

The new packaging contains the same amount of beef mince, but is smaller in size, helping customers to use their freezer and fridge space more efficiently by taking up less space.

Source:

https://www.sustainablepackagingafrica.com/2023/03/22/sainsburys-rolls-out-cardboard-packaging-for-own-brand-detergent/

ISRAEL – Hp has unveiled its new HP Indigo 200K Digital Press, designed to give digital flexible converters the competitive edge with better productivity, on-demand delivery, no minimum orders, unique designs, reduced energy consumption, and minimal waste.

The new press is based on the only field-proven digital technology for digital flexible packaging and on a successful install base of over 300 HP Indigo 25K digital presses, series 4, worldwide.

The new series 5 HP Indigo 200K digital press is designed to increase the productivity of high-margin, sustainable short runs, delivered in days with no minimum order size required.

According to the company, it can print up to 56 m/min (183 ft/min) and sets out to increase the productivity of high-margin, sustainable short runs of digital flexible packaging, to be delivered in ”days, not weeks.”

Noam Zilbershtain, VP and general manager of HP Indigo & Scitex said: “The HP Indigo 200K is a mid-web digital press especially designed for converters addressing the needs of brands in flexible packaging, but it also serves the growing requirements of the label and shrink sleeve industries for higher productivity and wider format.

“Flexible Packaging is a growing market, and as HP Indigo customers are growing much faster than the market, I have no doubt that the HP Indigo 200K digital press will open the door for more flexo converters who want to join the success, and reign in industry 4.0.”

The HP Indigo 200K digital press showcases a 30% increase in speed and 45% boost in productivity compared to the HP Indigo 25K.

Featuring gravure-matching color quality based on the HP Indigo Liquid Electro Photography (LEP) and One-Shot Color technologies, the new press offers the widest available range of ElectroInks.

It is designed to print high-coverage packages with white on the majority of industrial substrates, both surface and reverse. Additional business opportunities include unique brand protection elements.

Following the announcement of UK-based Sirane Group as one of the press’ first beta customers, Peter Ralten, commercial and business development director, says: “At Sirane, we have been looking into digital print for a while now, realizing it is where the future lies.

“The HP Indigo 200K digital press, with its incredible increase in productivity, opens new business opportunities for us. With the unmatched HP Indigo quality and versatility, we can’t wait to see the results of adding it to our portfolio.”

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