VPK Group launches corrugated board bottle carrier as legislation drives plastic-free trend
20 Jan 2021 --- VPK Group, a Pan-European alliance Blue Box founding member, is launching a corrugated alternative to shrink wrap for bottle multi-packing called Ecogrip.
Ecogrip provides a recyclable and biodegradable solution for four, six or eight bottles between 330 mL and 1.5 L. It is made of fully recycled corrugated board derived from European sources.
The ergonomic design makes it easy to transport, handle and store. Also, the corrugated board can be customized through a variety of print technologies for maximum brand and on-shelf impact.
So far, VPK Group has “ongoing projects with big FMCG companies,” Daphné Deledicq, chief innovation officer at Blue Box Partners, tells PackagingInsights. Ecogrip has also generated commercial interest from non-disclosed retailers and white label producers, she adds.
The ergonomic design makes Ecogrip easy to transport, handle and store.Fourfold R&D challenges
The Ecogrip design team faced four main challenges, according to Deledicq.
From the consumer’s perspective, Ecogrip needed to be easy to hold, carry and dismantle. In terms of branding, it needed to be attractive with an innovative design and be printable as a brand vehicle.
For retailers, Ecogrip had to consider logistic details, such as adaptability to potentially hide bar codes, as well as palletization and automatization.
Simultaneously, all these features had to fall under the environmental sustainability umbrella, says Deledicq. Ecogrip uses recycled materials, but as little material as possible. Ecogrip is available with FSC-certification.
EU legislation driving innovation
The EU’s Single-Use Plastic Directive came into force on July 3, 2019, aiming to reduce the impact of certain plastic products on the environment.
The Directive has caused large brands and manufacturers to re-evaluate their packaging strategies and seek out more eco-friendly alternatives.
“Secondary packaging such as shrink-wrap falls into the category of single-use plastic, which can create issues if not disposed of responsibly,” says Armin Höttges, managing director at Blue Box Partners.
“This has resulted in considerable pressure from governments, environmental groups and consumers – all of whom are demanding packaging which is more sustainable,” he adds.
Ecogrip is made of corrugated board, 100% recycled coming from European sources.Shrink wrap alternatives
According to marine preservation organization Ocean Conservancy, eight million metric tons of plastic go into the ocean annually.
Much of this marine litter is the plastic shrink wraps used to keep beer cans together, known also to strangle birds and fish.
Switching from plastic to paperboard for beverage multipacks has been an ongoing trend in the past few years, spurred by prominent beverage producers such as Coca-Cola Europe, Budweiser UK&I and Diageo’s Guinness.
Plastic elimination has even reached UK retailer Tesco, which swapped out its plastic rings for packing tin cans with plastic-free multibuys.
By Anni Schleicher
