Allied Bakeries, part of Associated British Foods, is converting to 100 per cent recycled packaging for two of its Kingsmill brand bread products by recycling its 'virgin material' bread bag packaging off-cuts.
Allied Bakeries, part of Associated British Foods, is converting to 100 per cent recycled packaging for two of its Kingsmill brand bread products by recycling its 'virgin material' bread bag packaging off-cuts.
The company's Little Big Loaf and Crusts Away ranges will use the sustainable wraps.
By reducing this packaging waste the manufacturer will save 1.4 tonnes of CO2 for every 1 tonne of recycled film made, claims Allied Bakeries category director Guy Shepherd.
As a further effort to minimise waste in its bread production, Allied Bakeries said its Little Big Loaf brand also has less slices and is aimed at smaller households, while Crusts Away has the crusts cut off and used to make breadcrumbs or animal food.
Oven efficiency
The firm is also replacing older, “less efficient” ovens with new ones, which Kingsmill said will reduce its carbon footprint by over 20 per cent when baking its bread products.
Making more of its loaves locally will also boost its eco performance said the baker, which added that over the last two years this change has saved Kingsmill's trucks from driving an extra 900,000 miles.
Allied Bakeries reports a host of other sustainable initiatives which include new delivery trucks that Kingsmill claims will reduce carbon and other engine exhaust emission levels. This is achieved through its streamlined 'tear drop' body shape which gives optimum aerodynamic efficiency, according to the company.
Work with the Carbon Trust
Allied Bakeries is also working with the Carbon Trust as part of its bid to reduce its carbon footprint.
And the company claims to be the first bread brand to use the Trust's Carbon Label, to calculate the carbon footprint across three of its bread brands.
From carrying this out analysis across these products the company said that Kingsmill Great Everyday and Kingsmill Tasty Wholemeal both have a carbon footprint of 1.3Kg of CO2 per 800g loaf whilst Kingsmill 50/50 is 1.2Kg of CO2.
Source: Allied Bakeries