Beyond The Headlines: Tetra Pak invests in EU carton recycling, Peroni Nastro Azzurro rebrands

This week in industry news, Tetra Pak and Yellow Dream invested in a Dutch recycling plant, Italian brewery Peroni Nastro Azzurro rebranded, Innovia Films launched a new website and SupplyClub its GreenBux Program.

Meanwhile, Schreiner MediPharm revealed its closure seal innovation, and TekniPlex Consumer Products said it will showcase its fragrance packaging tech at the Paris Packaging Week in January.

In brief: Collaborations

Tetra Pak and Yellow Dreams supported the EU’s carton recycling capacity with a joint investment of around €3 million (US$3.2 million) in a new recycling plant, with an annual capacity of 20,000 tn, which is set to begin operating in the second half of 2025. The plant is strategically located in Ittervoort, The Netherlands, close to the Belgian and German borders, and it will be able to reprocess the non-fiber component from used beverage cartons.

DS Smith opened a new eco classroom in Füzesabony, Hungary, in collaboration with the country’s Budapest University of Technology. The alternative outdoor classroom will be available to students at the town’s Teleki Blanka Elementary School and the Elementary Art School. One of the UK packaging giant’s strategic facilities in Hungary is located in Füzesabony, and for this reason, the company set out to demonstrate how important the town, its residents and the work they carry out is to DS Smith.

Sonoco joined the Pet Sustainability Coalition, a collaborative nonprofit organization working to accelerate sustainability in the pet food industry. Sonoco’s pet care packaging solutions include flexible, metal, thermoformed and rigid paper container packaging that is suitable for a versatile range of products. Its metal packaging offers two- and three-piece steel cans for wet pet food products, while its flexible packaging is recyclable in the paper curbside stream or through store drop-off programs and incorporates recycled material.

In brief: Launches and rebranding

Italian brewery Peroni Nastro Azzurro's rebranded packaging (Image credit: Peroni Nastro Azzurro).Italian brewery Peroni Nastro Azzurro rebranded its packaging, identifying it as a key driver of growth while on its mission to become a global top-ten beer brand by 2030. The goal of the new design is to strengthen the brand’s “standout and findability on the shelf” to increase market penetration and rate of sale while also improving premium perceptions. Distinctive asset research recognized the blue ribbon stating “Nastro Azzurro’) as a key branding asset, while “the Amaretti” logo remains familiar but has been refreshed.

Innovia Films, a UK material R&D company and producer of biaxially oriented PP (BOPP) films updated its website. It focuses on communicating the role of BOPP films in the redesign of packaging, graphic films and labels that are recyclable and have a low carbon footprint. The website’s products section shows selected “hero” products and explains the ideal application of Innovia-engineered films. Innovia developed the new website in partnership with Denkwerk, a creative digital agency based in Cologne, Germany. 

SupplyClub, a sustainable B2B packaging supply company based in the US, launched a new “GreenBux Program” to reward its customers’ sustainable choices with discounts and carbon offset opportunities. The program is available to its SupplyClub PRO members who want to receive discounts on future orders and to “contribute to global sustainability efforts.” SupplyClub is offering carbon offsetting in partnership with CarbonClick. The GreenBux rewards points are calculated based on the sustainability score of a product, taking into account compostability, recyclability, being PFAS-free and more. 

Mr. Bubble, a  US bubble bath product company, released a limited-edition range of holiday gifts and stocking stuffers with “retro-inspired packaging that offer a dose of nostalgia.” The products are exclusively available at Target and Walmart and include giftable bubble baths, fizzy tub colors and potions with unique and festive designs, at US$3 or less.

In brief: Tech innovations 

Schreiner MediPharm's new cut-through indicator functionality for closure seals makes tampering attempts clearly visible (Image credit: Schreiner MediPharm).Schreiner MediPharm, a Germany-based global provider of functional label solutions for the healthcare industry, introduced a cut-through indicator functionality for closure seals that makes tampering attempts clearly visible. This special design will offer a cost-efficient solution for product protection to secure the pharmaceutical supply chain more broadly. It prevents a frequently used method of tempering with folding boxes by cutting open the seal and reapplying it with transparent adhesive tape. 

TekniPlex Consumer Products, a US-based globally integrated provider of materials science and manufacturing tech solutions, announced that it will introduce a range of PFAS-free, food-grade clear dip tubes designed for mid- to high-end fragrance packaging at Paris Packaging Week, January 28–29, 2025 at stand S50. The company will show its new Crystelle dip tubes, which are used to refine the appearance of glass while achieving the durability and convenience of plastic. The solution aims to optimize both aesthetics and functionality.