Sharpak Aylesham develops bubble pad-free protective strawberry punnets in UK first
06 May 2021 --- Sharpak Aylesham, a subsidiary of Groupe Guillin, is launching a range of recyclable strawberry punnets with a protected design mitigating the need for bubble pads.
The SP Airlite strawberry punnet combines the protection required to minimize food waste with recyclability without consumers needing to remove a conventional bubble pad. The innovation is reportedly a UK industry first.
The mono-material punnets also contain “high recycled content” and are redesigned with a plastic weight reduction of between 18-20 percent over the current packs, saving hundreds of tons of plastic.
The material savings also deliver the plastic weight reduction UK’ retailers require as part of their ongoing responsible packaging strategies, indicates Sharpak Aylesham.
“Conventional bubble pads are used to protect the strawberries from bruising in pack and transit,” Matt Chapman, technical manager at Sharpak Aylesham, tells PackagingInsights.
“The challenge was creating a pack made from a hard material and design it to be forgiving and flexible enough to protect the fruit.”
“This was only capable with the knowledge we have of the berry industry, the latest production equipment combined with excellent technical design capabilities.”
UK Plastics Tax compliant
The punnets are available in 60 mm, 70 mm and 85 mm depths and the result of a development project between Sharpak Aylesham and Berry Gardens starting in 2019.
The SP Airlite strawberry punnet (Image credit: Sharpak Aylesham).Berry Gardens, reportedly the UK’s largest co-operative of berry growers, provided full trial support, ensuring the product was tested through the picking and packing processes and retail supply chain.
Chapman confirms the punnets can be used for fruit other than strawberries and are UK Plastics Tax compliant.
The UK government released draft legislation and a draft policy paper on its Plastic Packaging Tax – effective from April 2022 – for public consultation in November.
The measure is expected to impact around 20,000 plastics packaging producers and importers.
The draft legislation is proposing a £200 (US$278) per ton tax rate for plastic packaging with less than 30 percent recycled plastic produced or imported into the UK.
“Implementing plastic reduction, using recycled content and designing a punnet that can easily be recycled, we have created something that delivers on all levels and is concurrent with our circular economy and sustainability goal,” comments Rick Calcott, managing director at Sharpak Aylesham.
Sharpak Aylesham and Groupe Guillin are members of the UK & EU Plastics Pact and OPRL (On-Pack Recycling Label).
Fresh produce packaging innovation
As legislative and consumer demand for more environmentally responsible packaging gathers pace, fruit and vegetable packaging innovation is hitting new heights.
In April, Graphic Packaging International launched its ProducePack Punnet, a recyclable paperboard alternative to plastic punnet trays.
Meanwhile, Coveris partnered with Berry Gardens to develop a printed lidding film containing over 30 percent post-consumer recyclate.
This year, Smurfit Kappa unveiled its paper-based punnet portfolio called Safe&Green in Europe. StePac promoted its functional standing pouches for extended shelf life.
PackagingInsights recently explored the sector’s key themes with leading packaging suppliers DS Smith, Smurfit Kappa, Sealpac, Mondi, and edible coating specialist Sufresca.
By Joshua Poole
