Cup plant packaging: Lidl and Kaufland introduce PreZero’s silphia material for fruit & veg

18 Nov 2021 --- German supermarkets Lidl and Kaufland are spearheading a new plant fiber-based packaging solution created with Silphium perfoliatum, also known as the cup plant.

Developed by PreZero, the environmental division of Schwarz multinational retail group, the packs will be used to package fruit and vegetable products.

“Through a development partnership with OutNature, our in-house materials lab has been exploring the technical properties of silphie material since late 2020,” says Jakob Rinninger, STI Group CEO.

“Pioneering tests have examined every facet of its production performance, from printability and varnishability to laminating and die-cutting.”

“Silphie material has proven itself and can now be used in cardboard or corrugated board format for making packaging and displays.”

Organic cress in silphia packaging has been available in Lidl stores since early November, initially in southern Germany.Silphie has proven viable in cardboard and corrugated board packaging.

Kaufland will introduce the Silphie range soon, with plans to expand the packaging to include organic tomatoes, apples and mushrooms.

The supermarket chain has already introduced packaging-free sections in its supermarkets, where customers can buy dry food items such as pasta and rice.

Lidl cuts environmental footprint
The announcement comes as Lidl introduces a host of measures aimed at improving its packaging materials and reducing environmental footprint.

This year, the supermarket chain pledged to replace all single-use fruit and vegetable plastic bags in its UK stores with compostable bags.

The in-store change will remove 275 metric tons of conventional single-use plastic, claims the company. The new compostable bags are designed to be reused as caddy liners for domestic food waste collections and suitable for home composting.

In August, it also began trialing a traffic light label system for its packaging, helping shoppers understand the environmental sustainability credentials of food and beverage products and their packaging. The scheme applies to the supermarket chain’s 105 Scottish stores.

As one of the UK’s first retailers to launch a trial, Lidl will apply Eco-Score labeling to over 50 of its own-label products – including teas, coffees and hot chocolate – while supporting these efforts with wider in-store communication.

Edited

By Louis Gore-Langton

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