Amcor propels dairy packaging toward circular economy and product transparency

11 Oct 2021 --- Dairy has long been seen as an integral part of a healthy diet, but that doesn’t mean it’s free from disruption, according to Mathieu Nicey, Amcor’s EMEA marketing manager for dairy. Nicey sits down with PackagingInsights to discuss the latest trends driving the dairy packaging market, including environmental sustainability, e-commerce and supply chain transparency, set against the backdrop of a global pandemic. 

“[Environmental] sustainability is one of the more pressing topics on consumers’ minds, and dairy consumers are no different. From the sourcing of the milk to the recyclability of the packaging, expectations have increased.”

According to Amcor’s consumer research, 40% of Europeans favor packaging with the statement “made from recycled materials,” and 43% of consumers want to make more environmentally sustainable decisions.

“By addressing consumer concerns regarding plastic waste and food waste, brands may attract consumers willing to pay more for sustainability and retain existing eco-conscious customers. Therefore, reducing dairy product waste requires not only initiatives on the production side, but also innovative solutions to help consumers decrease food waste and packaging waste.”

“Reducing overall environmental impact requires a steady balance between the use of more sustainable packaging and the reduction of food waste, which has its own – and often much higher – carbon footprint.”

Recycling cheese packaging at scale
Amcor’s dairy focus is on designing packaging that meets recycling criteria, including proven recyclability in practice on a large scale.

For example, the global supplier’s award-winning Matrix packaging offers a solution to two challenges in soft cheese packaging: recyclability and product ripening. The Matrix range is reportedly the industry’s first paraffin-free, recyclable paper-based packaging for cheese. Mathieu Nicey, Amcor’s EMEA marketing manager for dairy.

The range improves the product’s moisture exchange, ensuring taste and texture are consistent throughout the product life cycle. The solution allows cheese producers to control the ripening process, resulting in extended shelf life and delivering the right taste to consumers.

“Since the 1980s, soft cheese producers have used paper packaging with a paraffin layer. This provided some advantages: it is easy to produce and uses widely available materials. But it’s far from perfect,” explains Nicey.

“Paraffin-free packaging improves moisture exchange and ensures consistent taste. With Matrix, soft cheese manufacturers can control in-pack ripening. Longer time on the shelf can mean longer periods between re-stocks, cost reductions, less waste, and better sustainability credentials. And crucially, it answers consumer concerns about dairy products that expire and the subsequent food waste.”

Nicey also alludes to a new cheese packaging solution preparing for launch. “Today OPA/PE and OPA/PEP are the dominant packaging materials for flowpack cheese packaging. We have developed a recycle-ready cheese pack that can be either PE- or PP-based to match the countries where it will be sold and the recycling infrastructure available.”

Moreover, Amcor recently launched a peelable paper banderole for dairy cups in Italy. The solution enables consumers to easily separate the label from the cup, facilitating the recycling of the paper and plastic components.

COVID-19 and consumer attitudes
As Nicey points out, consumer attitudes toward packaging are constantly evolving, and public perceptions have been furthered by the wide-ranging and long-lasting implications of COVID-19.

“Indeed, as a result of the virus, consumers are becoming more conscious about the state of the environment. They are also questioning the role that packaging plays from a safety perspective, as they become increasingly concerned about viruses, bacteria, and germs spreading.”

Anti-plastic sentiment was rife before the COVID-19 pandemic, fueled by the so-called “Blue Planet effect” – in reference to the BBC’s 2017 documentary with David Attenborough, highlighting the growing issue of marine plastic pollution.

However, Innova Market Insights found global consumers mainly support the increased use of plastic for hygiene during the pandemic. While 20% of global consumers favor more plastics, 42% see them as an undesirable necessity at this time.Amcor launched a peelable paper banderole for dairy cups to enhance recyclability.

Meanwhile, consumers are also evaluating the role packaging can play in mitigating food waste. “While in the short-term, consumers will place more emphasis on packaging providing protection because of concerns about the spread of the virus,” Nicey says, “in the long-term, more emphasis will be placed on packaging being more sustainable than ever before.”

“This [demand] means consumers will expect packaging to carry environmental logos, use the most sustainable material, and be designed in a way that makes the process of recycling as simple and hassle-free as possible.”

The rise of e-commerce
COVID-19 social restrictions also accelerated the growth of e-commerce, including home food delivery. Nicey explains online shopping is changing consumer behavior and reshaping packaging’s role in light of new logistical challenges.

“According to Amcor research, fresh food products have started to catch up with FMCG and non-perishable foods when it comes to e-commerce purchasing,” he notes.

“Food subscriptions are also increasing in popularity, with between 10% and 36% of consumers we surveyed saying they have a food subscription.”

“It’s important for packaging to cater to this trend – brands should look to balance the need for packaging materials that reduce damage during transit, are robust and lightweight enough to perform in the delivery supply chain and retain visual appeal when they reach the customer.”

Dairy products – including cheese (bought by 65% of online grocery shoppers) or yogurts and chilled desserts (bought by 61% of online grocery shoppers) – make up the most popular fresh food category purchased by the one thousand European online shoppers Amcor surveyed.

Cheese was the first or second most popular e-commerce category for all countries surveyed (France, UK, Sweden, Netherlands, Germany).Amcor’s CrystalLid boasts a highly transparent lidding, enhancing food visibility and quality perception.

Product transparency
In the modern-day supermarket, a quick scan of a drink or pack of cheese can provide consumers with a brand’s product information, such as its origin and full supply chain, which is increasingly important to shoppers making more responsible purchasing decisions.

“This is why Amcor developed MaXQ, an end-to-end digital packaging system, designed to take advantage of a captive digital audience and drive consumer engagement and loyalty in the process,” outlines Nicey.

“MaXQ allows brands to personalize the experience by creating dynamic codes that can be used for consumer engagement, anti-counterfeiting, and track and trace.”

Healthy eating is another area experiencing surging consumer interest. “Consumers are recognizing the utilitarian benefits of certain foods and increasingly looking to food to help prevent disease or improve quality of life,” Nicey points out.

“Dairy has a key role to play in this sector, through products such as probiotic yogurts and cholesterol-lowering butters. Premium-looking packaging that is durable and increasingly sustainable really appeals to health-conscious consumers.”

Moreover, transparent packaging allows consumers to see products like fresh yogurt before they buy. Notably, Amcor’s CrystalLid boasts a highly transparent lidding, enhancing food visibility and quality perception.

“For yogurt, we have also witnessed a shift in consumer preference. Consumers are switching from multipacks to single cups. Single cups have the same recipe and flavor but provide more variety,” adds Nicey.

By Joshua Poole