Tetra Pak points to carbon impact as Morrisons’ milk carton switch raises recyclability concerns

04 Mar 2022 --- Morrisons supermarket’s decision to switch its own-brand fresh milk from plastic bottles to Tetra Pak cartons has ignited a debate over whether this is a commendable decision to reduce plastic or a greenwashing stunt that could actually lead to more waste.

The new fresh milk Tetra Pak cartons are made from FSC-certified, plant-based paperboard. They feature a very thin layer of plastic coating and twist caps made from polyethylene derived from sustainably sourced sugarcane.

However, critics have suggested the move replaces curbside-recyclable HDPE milk bottles with significantly less recyclable carton packs.

“I have never seen such a divide between public and professional spheres as with this news that Morrisons is switching its packaging. Mostly, the environmental professionals view this switch as a bad thing. In fact it is baffling,” Jonathan Wragg, owner of CAP Environmental, self-described as a greenwashing removal specialist company, tells PackagingInsights.

However, Tetra Pak points to the superior carbon impact of its cartons versus more conventional packaging. “A 2020 life cycle assessment concluded that Tetra Pak carton packages have a lower carbon footprint than glass, plastic or metal packages,” Davide Braghiroli, product director for packaging materials alternative barriers at Tetra Pak, tells PackagingInsights.

Recycling headaches
The UK supermarket made the change in mid-February, when nine types of Morrisons’ fresh milk products became available in the Tetra Pak cartons, saving an initial 100 metric tons of plastic and associated carbon emissions a year, according to the company.

“Fresh milk does not need to be in a plastic bottle. It keeps just as fresh in a carton. Fresh milk is the top user of plastic packaging in our stores, so this will result in significant plastic reduction,” explains Tony Fearon, dairy category director at Morrisons.Decreasing the volume of single-use plastic in stores is said to be the top concern for the supermarket giant’s customers.

Wragg, however, highlights this is precisely where the issue lies.

“People will end up putting the new packaging in a recycling bin in an area where it will only cause contamination. This is why the carton is worse than the plastic alternative.”

Meanwhile, Tetra Pak reiterates that carton packages are collected and recycled worldwide, where waste management and recycling infrastructure is in place, and the recovered materials can be transformed into a wide range of new products.

“To scale up recycling, a systemic approach including all steps of the chain is required, as well as greater industry collaboration,” explains Braghiroli. “In the UK, up to 97% of local authorities have carton recycling collections, either via a curbside bin or bring banks.”

“Tetra Pak is working closely with ACE UK, the Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment to increase this even further. During the recycling process, cartons are separated into paperboard pulp, plastic and aluminum streams. These can then be made into new materials, helping contribute to a circular economy.”

“By supporting initiatives to drive major improvements in waste management and recycling infrastructures worldwide, we have helped to grow the number of recycling operations handling cartons worldwide from 40 in 2010 to more than 170 today,” he adds.

Devil in the details
Morrisons highlights the Tetra Pak cartons have been certified by the Carbon Trust as carbon-neutral, while adding that the solution is curbside-recyclable in most UK regions and at recycling banks across the country.

Wragg, however, maintains the cartons will not help reduce waste. “The switch away from an item that is 100% recyclable via curbside collections to an item that is not even recyclable in 20% of curbside collection is a baffling one and will lead to far more waste,” he argues.The move has ignited a debate over whether carton packs are actually more beneficial to the environment.

While plastic packaging can be “bad” in some cases, the use of “unnecessary plastic” is being phased out over the next few years, he adds.

“All packaging products have bad items: cardboard, biodegradable, plant-based, aluminum. But just like the other materials, plastic has its uses and there are some very good packaging items too. The HDPE milk bottle is one of them.”

“Even though the milk bottle is plastic, it is a very environmentally sustainable packaging item, with around 90% of all the items produced being recycled and also made from recycled HDPE. The plastic milk bottle is not only environmentally sustainable, but also circular,” he explains.

Alleviating consumer concerns
Morrisons notes that reducing the amount of single-use plastic in stores is a top concern for customers. To that end, the supermarket has committed to a 50% reduction across its own-brand primary plastic packaging by 2025.

The nine Morrisons fresh milk products in Tetra Pak cartons come in 500 ml, 1 L and 2 L sizes and cover skimmed, semi-skimmed and whole milk options. They are priced at 60p (US$0.80) for 500 ml, 95p (US$1.26) for 1 L and £1.25 (US$1.66) for 2 L.

“Fresh milk is currently one of the single biggest users of plastic packaging within UK supermarkets, accounting for approximately 10% of all plastic used,” the supermarket highlights.

Fourteen of Morrisons’ own-brand 19 fresh juice products have also moved over from plastic bottles to cartons in a bid to remove 678 metric tons of plastic per year.

Meanwhile, Wragg underscores that “green” initiatives should not be used as a sales tool or unique selling point but as an honest goal for every brand, company and sector.

“Environmentally sustainable packaging should be clear, easy to understand and everybody from every background and age should know which bin to put the product in once it has been used,” he says.

Earlier this year, Morrisons announced a push to scrap “Use By” dates on 90% of its own-brand milk – and encourage its customers to use a sniff test – to help to reduce food waste in the home.

By Andria Kades

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