Sulapac equips Norwegian seafood company with biodegradable tags

Sulpac has developed biodegradable seafood tags for Norwegian seafood company Dundrun to replace conventional plastic tags with plant-based solutions. 

The initiative supports Dundrun in reducing plastic waste within the seafood supply chain while reinforcing ethical fishing and environmental responsibility.

Ensuring freshness and quality is important in the seafood industry, particularly for shellfish like scallops. When transported over long distances out of water, scallops gradually open, risking dehydration. After experimenting with various options, Dundrun partnered with Scotland-based manufacturer Glendale Mouldings to explore packaging made from eco-friendly materials. 

Ian Christie, operations director at Glendale Mouldings, tells Packaging Insights: “We tested two Sulapac materials grades to find the very best fit for Dundrun’s durability and performance needs. Sulapac Universal Flex 30 was the perfect match due to its ideal flexural strain and impact strength. Resistance to cold temperatures was also important.”

Laura Tirkkonen-Rajasalo, chief compliance officer and co-founder at Sulapac, adds: “The Sulapac material used in the tags meets both EU and FDA requirements for food contact materials. The material has been originally developed for cutlery so the food contact safety has been ensured from the very beginning of the R&D.” 

Sustainable seafood packaging

To align with Dundrun’s dedication to move away from plastic solutions, Sulapac Universal Flex 30, composed of sustainably sourced wood chips and plant-based binders, is industrially compostable certified and free from harmful permanent microplastics and toxic chemicals, according to the company. 

Roderick Sloan, co-founder at Dundrun.“To understand the environmental impact of using polypropylene seafood tags, just consider this: Norway catches around 300 tons of scallops annually. This equals roughly 1.2 million plastic tags each year. We really didn’t want to add more plastic to our products,” highlights Roderick Sloan, co-founder at Dundrun.

Looking ahead, Sloan says that the company is planning to expand the Sulapac tags to other seafood products. He also shared that future tags could include QR codes to provide additional details about the fishery.

“We work closely with local fishermen to ensure that fish and other seafood species are responsibly harvested. If the entire fishing industry switched to eco-friendly Sulapac tags, it would mean a huge reduction in plastic waste, helping to protect our environment.”

Expanding eco-friendly solutions

Sulapac Flow 1.7 material can also be used to manufacture compostable food trays and cups, according to the material innovations company. Meanwhile, Sulapac Solid material can be used for reusable tableware, salad bowls and lunch boxes.

Miki Lahtinen, sales director, food services at Sulapac, tells us: “We see a lot of potential for Sulapac materials in the fresh food packaging sector, especially in lightweight thermoformed packaging and reusable packaging. The reusable Sulapac cups piloted in selected Burger King restaurants is a great use case example with Sulapac Solid.”

“Coffee cups made of Sulapac were also used in Slush. The consumer feedback was extremely positive, and the material performed up to the standards, showcasing it is a truly feasible alternative to conventional plastic.”