Several trends are on-going in the packaging sector, especially in the field of sustainability, in which Jan Van den Heuvel, of VDH Concept, expects big changes in the coming years. "I have observed a growing interest from retailers in environmentally-friendly packaging formats. Consumers are also paying more attention to the raw materials used in packaging and are willing to pay more for a sustainable alternative."
100% recyclable?
According to Jan, the demand for sustainable packaging could be met in different ways. Recycled bags have been around for a long time and are mainly used for waste. With food, it is a different story and VDH was the trendsetter in Belgium seven years ago with its 100% compostable film for potatoes and also two years ago with its partly recyclable packaging film.
"With food packaging we face a bigger challenge, because the recycled part cannot come into contact with the product. Opportunities there lie in the use of multilayer film. We are still using containers made with 30% recycled material, but this year the percentage is likely to increase to 40-50%. it seems simple, but it's technically not that simple. We are working on several projects that should help us reach an even higher percentage of recycled materials in packaging film.
Renewable sources
Another trend is bioplastics from renewable sources. "In this case, film is made from plastic pellets that come from a renewable source. This comes mainly from Brazil. It is difficult to get such projects going, because the consumer does not fully understand yet the concept of 'renewable resource'." Paper, according to Jan, is also on the radar, but many do not realise that the paper bags used for potatoes have a greater ecological footprint than plastic bags."
Better in Germany
In Germany, Jan observes an increasing demand for more expensive packaging. In the past, it had to be as cheap as possible and potatoes were sold in nets with a printed band. Now some supermarkets make use of a net with paper laminate foil, which is up to 40 times more expensive than the 'old' packaging.
This type of packaging made of paper laminate is not 100% recyclable. That is why, in the course of 2016, we will launch a perfect new alternative on the market," concludes Van den Heuvel.
