Berry Global: “Biggest packaging transformation in recent history” as tethered caps go mandatory

19 Feb 2024 --- Sarah de la Mare, the product line director of Closures at Berry Global, delves into the incoming EU tethered closures legislation and the evolving packaging landscape in an exclusive interview with Packaging Insights.

De la Mare also discusses significant industry trends, including the focus on environmentally sustainable packaging and the shift toward monomaterial solutions. 

What are the trends shaping the packaging industry in 2024, and how do you foresee Berry Global navigating these trends?
De la Mare: As of July 2024, the beverage market will undergo its biggest packaging transformation in recent history as tethered closures hit the shelves across EU member states.

Berry Global has developed award-winning technology around the tethering of closures to containers. We have invested significantly to bring industrial capacity to market for our customers in good time. 

Tethered closures for Coca-Cola developed by Berry Global.Many consumers still do not necessarily understand the reasons behind the switch to tethered closures and brand owners still have some work to do to explain the environmental benefits and closure functionality – but as the legislation takes effect EU-wide in just a few weeks, consumers will realize that this is an industry shift rather than the whim of a few brand owners.

WatchMeThink research agency recently conducted an independent study on consumers’ understanding and appreciation of tethered closures, and we were thrilled to see that Berry’s tethering technology outperformed other suppliers in terms of opening, locking features and reclosing.

Outside of tethering in the beverage market, we see a continued drive to remove non-recyclable materials from the market as brand owners are searching for monomaterial packaging. Late last year, we brought a new monomaterial closure to market for Heinz Ketchup, replacing the silicone valve with an all-plastic flow control feature.

Being a global player, are there specific challenges or opportunities that stand out in different parts of the world? 
De la Mare: The adoption of tethered legislation for beverage applications is one. While the EU has forced the change via legislation, some brand owners in other countries have adopted the technology voluntarily. We are watching with interest to see how far and fast the trend will spread. 

In parallel, the EU is working to develop the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, establishing new standards for recyclability, minimum required amounts of recycled material and reusable packaging. Berry, with its wide range of solutions, does anticipate a lot of opportunities.

Given the global focus on environmental sustainability, how do you see the packaging industry evolving? 
De la Mare: We expect to see a greater focus on the carbon footprint of various packaging substrates and their sourcing in the years ahead once brand owners and retailers have fulfilled their 2025 commitments in terms of reusability, recyclability, compostability and recycled content. Berry remains committed to developing environmentally responsible packaging solutions, such as Wave2cc, our fully recyclable lock-up pump dispenser. 

Our work on developing CleanStream food-grade recycled PP and our significant investment into tethered closures for global brands such as Coca-Cola, national brands and private label manufacturers are examples of this.

Sustainability is the responsibility of all employees at Berry, not just in terms of the products we produce but also how we run our operations and manage our teams. Our corporate sustainability teams worldwide interact closely with each other and are tightly networked into the local operations, product development and product management teams. This keeps them close to the operational needs of the Berry sites and those of our customers. We are also active members of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, on the Recyclass committee and members of various other sustainability groups.

By Radhika Sikaria