Tetra Pak upgrades paper-based aseptic carton tech with new pilot plant in Sweden

Tetra Pak has updated its aseptic beverage cartons, replacing the traditional aluminum foil layer with a paper-based barrier. The food processing and packaging giant has furthermore invested €60 million (US$71 million) in a new pilot plant in Lund, Sweden, to advance its aseptic packaging material. 

Joakim Tuvesson, vice president for Materials & Package at Tetra Pak, tells Packaging Insights: “The investment in Lund is aimed at establishing a new plant to accelerate the development of paper-based barrier technology that is replacing the aluminum layer in aseptic cartons with a more sustainable alternative.” 

“It represents a major step toward Tetra Pak’s ambition to create the world’s most sustainable food package, enabling faster innovation, testing, and customer collaboration.” 

Tuvesson says the facility will be manufacturing the paper-based barrier layer for the new packaging material. 

Paperization trend proliferates

Regarding the evolution of paper-enhanced packaging over the coming years, Tuvesson says Tetra Pak is actively shaping the ongoing paperization trend in the world of packaging. 

“Manufacturers are seeing the opportunity to increase the share of renewable materials in their packaging and to promote better sustainability profiles. That’s why we are constantly innovating in packaging materials to reduce the carbon footprint of our cartons, foster a circular economy, and maximize the value for recyclers that are today processing liquid packaging cartons.”

Joakim Tuvesson, vice president for Materials & Package at Tetra Pak.“Above all, paperization signals their new trajectory toward sustainably sourced renewable materials and a low-carbon circular economy. Our paper-based barrier supports this trend — it is an innovative layer, mainly made of paper. Together with other layers in the packaging, it protects against oxygen, light, moisture, and bacteria,” says Tuvesson.

“In this way, food safety is not compromised, and shelf life is comparable to that of the package with an aluminum foil layer. When combined with plant-based polymers, the paper-based barrier enables up to 43% reduction in the carbon footprint of an aseptic package.”

Boosting recovery rates 

The world’s first aseptic beverage carton with a paper-based barrier was launched in 2023 with a Portuguese dairy producer. Since then, various F&B packagers have integrated Tetra Pak’s barrier technology into their cartons.

The latest upgrade boosts the paper content in beverage cartons to approximately 80%. Tetra Pak says that when this technology is combined with plant-based polymers, it increases the traceable renewable content of a carton by up to 92% — cutting the carbon footprint by up to 43%. 

The aseptic beverage cartons now feature two instead of three main materials, paper and polymers, simplifying recycling processes. Recycling benefits include an improved recovery rate for paper and delivering high-quality fiber and non-fiber fractions.

Providing transparency 

The Lund plant aims to provide its customers with insights into the aluminum-free solution across the entire manufacturing journey, from barrier creation to packaging material and filled package production.

“In the new facility in Lund, customers, before making decisions to implement beverage cartons with paper-based barriers, will be able to gain insights into the new solution across the entire manufacturing journey — from barrier creation to packaging material and package production — and understand performance, compatibility, and sustainability benefits,” says Tuvesson.

The plant’s location has been chosen for its strong ties to existing research and material development, close collaboration with Lund University, and access to advanced testing capabilities at the city’s MAX IV Laboratory.

Packaging Insights recently spoke with Amcor, ProAmpac, and Tetra Pak to explore the latest dairy packaging trends and how the global companies’ innovations address recent product demands.