Parkside and Iceland partner on recycle paper pouch for frozen fish in plastic swap out

09 Aug 2022 --- Parkside has teamed up with Iceland to deliver “one of the world’s first” recyclable paper packaging solutions for frozen food. The environmentally sustainable solution has been designed for the supermarket’s Northcoast range of frozen seafood. 

The packaging is described as a significant milestone for both Iceland – in its pursuit of plastic-free packaging – and the frozen food sector.

Iceland’s Northcoast products were previously packed in LDPE bags. However, following the project with Parkside, they are now packed in a specially-developed recyclable paper pouch with “excellent” grease and oil resistance. 

“Until recently, achieving a high grease and oil resistance and heat sealability for frozen food has been extremely challenging. Typically, a plastic layer such as PE would need to be extruded or laminated to the paper, which would then need to be removed when recycling post-consumer use,” explains Mark Shaw, sales account manager at Parkside.

“Our leading technology removes the need for the plastic and gives a truly recyclable paper solution with the added benefit of high-barrier functionality.” 

Withstanding freezers
The heat-sealable paper solution was designed to withstand the rigors of frost and moisture in a freezer environment for prolonged periods.

The heat-sealable paper solution was designed to withstand the rigors of frost and moisture in freezers for long periods.This benefit was achieved by creating heat sealability and utilizing a range of water-based coatings with high barrier performance, designed to break down when repulped in the paper recycling process. 

“Bag sealing was a challenge, as was ensuring the material had the necessary barrier properties. We also wanted the print to match the existing LDPE bag, and therefore, a lot of time was spent in artwork and repro to give us the best possible result,” says Mark Armstrong, packaging specialist at Iceland.

“We previously worked with Parkside in a successful bid to reduce food waste via a lidding film solution in 2017. But we know we can do more. As consumer sentiment continues to grow for circular solutions, it is the perfect time to collaborate once again in a bid to reduce unnecessary plastic in our packaging.”

Parkside in the news
At the beginning of the year, Parkside added a fully compostable pack design to its portfolio as part of a collaboration with health food wholesaler Mintons in the UK. 

The pack consists of a duplex compostable laminate – manufactured by Futamura – which guarantees food safety and is designed to break down within 26 weeks in a home composting environment. 

Meanwhile, the company equipped Bird & Blend with compostable packaging for its loose tea. The solution utilizes Futamura’s compostable bio-based paper and metalized NatureFlex cellulose films manufactured from sustainably-sourced wood pulp. 

Edited by Natalie Schwertheim

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