Smurfit Kappa celebrated as first vegan-certified packaging company in Vegan Society partnership

09 May 2022 --- Smurfit Kappa has become the first vegan-certified packaging company after obtaining the Vegan Society trademark for corrugated solutions produced at its Markham Vale site in the UK.

Smurfit Kappa’s products featuring the Vegan Trademark are produced using paper, glue, starch and inks sourced from eco-conscious suppliers and free from animal products. The company supplies a wide range of vegan-approved packaging options suitable for various products within fashion, cosmetics, food, drinks and more.

“We pride ourselves on providing innovative and [environmentally] sustainable packaging. We are thrilled to be the first packaging company recognized as Vegan Society Certified. This accreditation will give reassurances to customers with a preference for vegan products that all components of our finished products are cruelty-free and not from animal origin,” comments Mark Robinson, senior business development manager at Smurfit Kappa Markham Vale.

Vegan Society partnership
In addition to becoming the world’s first vegan-certified packaging supplier, Smurfit Kappa also has an ongoing partnership with The Vegan Society, helping other trademark holders produce vegan-certified packaging for their plant-based product ranges.

The Vegan Society has been helping individuals identify plant-based products since 1990. Smurfit Kappa obtaining the Vegan Society trademark also marks the milestone of 60,000 products registered with the scheme.

Smurfit Kappa is a leading European corrugated packaging supplier, operating across 36 countries, with 48,000 employees and more than 350 packaging plants. It says many businesses are working hard to manufacture vegan-certified products but struggling to find boxes and bags that follow the same guidelines. The corrugated packaging giant can now offer vegan-certified packaging to match vegan-certified products.The Vegan Society found that 97% of vegans and vegetarians will look for vegan verification on F&B products before purchasing.

Veggies want product verification
The Vegan Society recently conducted research revealing that 97% of vegans and vegetarians will look for vegan verification on food and drink products before purchasing.

Moreover, a survey completed in 2021 found that the Vegan Trademark from The Vegan Society is the most trusted and recognized labeling scheme for plant-based goods. The verification symbol is now used on 60,000 products worldwide, including food, drink, clothes and household items.

“Announcing our partnership with Smurfit Kappa couldn’t have come at a better time. Not only are they the first packaging company to register products with us, but they are also the 60,000th product to hold the Vegan Trademark. We’ve come a long way since we registered our first product in 1990,” says Ericka Durgahee, business development marketing manager at The Vegan Society.

Plant-based proliferation
Earlier in the year, Avery Dennison launched a certified-vegan labels portfolio free from animal-derived components. Additionally, every item in the market-first collection was created without animal testing or the use of animal-origin GMOs.

The portfolio received approval from Eve Vegan, an independent organization created by Vegan France, which works to promote vegan alternatives in different industries, including food and medicine.

We recently spoke to Rosalia Rosalinova, senior marketing manager at Amcor Flexibles, about the challenges and opportunities of designing packaging for meat alternatives after the company revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated European consumer trends toward plant-based diets and plastic reduction.

By Joshua Poole