Online grocery Riverford capitalizes on COVID-19 delivery surge with Parkside compostable packaging conversion

20 Jan 2021 --- UK-based packaging manufacturer Parkside is supplying the British online organic grocer Riverford with compostable packaging for its fruits and vegetables. 

Riverford announced last year that it aimed to convert to 100 percent compostable materials and use Parkside’s flagship material Park2Go.

The move comes as part of wider sustainability efforts in the face of increased home delivery services caused by COVID-19 national lockdowns. 

Speaking to PackagingInsights, a Parkside spokesperson explains Riverford was no exception to this trend and saw an opportunity to implement further environmental sustainability measures during pandemic-induced growth. 

“Riverford has seen a large increase in demand for its subscription system, some of which can be attributed to changes in consumer behavior due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Park2Nature is made of sustainably-sourced cellulose and typically composts in 26 days.Untapped reusability potential 
Riverford delivers a range of organic produce to homes throughout Great Britain. The company strives to connect consumers with the origin of their produce, ensuring local farms reach local people with foods grown with environmentally sustainable practices. 

Part of Riverford’s business model is offering consumers assurances on responsible packaging standards. All its reusable cardboard boxes are crafted from 98 percent recycled materials and are 100 percent recyclable. 

However, consumers’ lacking participation in Riverford’s packaging reuse potential is resulting in huge losses, says the company. 

“If all our customers returned their vegetable boxes, this would save almost 22,000 trees’ worth of cardboard every year,” says the company. 

Keen on compostable
However, one area where consumers appear more willing to make an effort with waste disposal is composting. 

“An impressive 82.5 percent of our customers compost their food or garden waste, based on a survey of 10,240 current Riverford customers from July 2018,” the company shares. 

“This, combined with our well-honed system of collecting packaging to bring back to the farm for reuse, composting or recycling, convinced us that home-compostable packaging is the right solution for us.”

Riverford was already working to eliminate plastic from its supply chain and achieved an 82 percent reduction. 

Over 82% of Riverford’s customers already practice home composting.Converting to compostable packaging made sense as Riverford believes its consumers would take advantage of the scheme. Ithad previously attempted to eliminate packaging for its fruits and vegetables altogether but found its produce spoiled too quickly. 

Park2Nature’s plant power 
Besides consumer adaptability, Riverford selected Parkside’s Park2Nature compostable material for several other reasons. 

The material comprises a range of flexible packaging laminates made from renewable resources such as ethically-sourced plant fibers. 

“[Park2Nature] is made from cellulose sourced from sustainably managed forests, along with a biopolymer derived from corn starch (non-GMO),” explains the spokesperson. 

“The design enables brands, producers, and retailers to reduce their reliance on petrochemicals. Park2Nature enables robust product protection through the food supply chain, while also providing enhanced shelf life capabilities alongside meeting strict food hygiene standards.”

These qualities made Riverford and Parkside “fit seamlessly together,” says the company. 

However, as with many home compostable solutions, the compostable aspect does require the right conditions to be viable. 

While the Park2Nature material will decompose in a standard home compost heap within 26 weeks, typically, it is not recyclable through public recycling streams and must be mailed back to the company after use if home composting facilities are unavailable.

By Louis Gore-Langton