It is the only combination of materials we have found that allows us to achieve a more sustainable packaging that, at the same time, guarantees good protection for our products and, therefore, can avoid waste.

However, our goal is to find an even more sustainable solution for this format. We are already working with manufacturers and suppliers of different materials to come up with a 4.0 packaging with a lower impact, more circular than the current one and, as always, ensuring maximum protection for our food. 

The new packaging for the refrigerated format has 3 parts: a 92% R-PET tray (minimum guaranteed), a plastic film and an FSC-certified cardboard sleeve.

R-PET is Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate. Basically, it is a type of plastic that is widely used in food products (such as water bottles) and has been recycled at least once. It is a material that can be recycled multiple times and still provide adequate protection for food products.

The materials we use for the film are a combination of several layers of PE and EVOH (two types of virgin plastic). Being less permeable, this solution allows the inside of the packaging to maintain the protective atmosphere (which makes many fridge products healthy) for a longer period of time. This extends the shelf life of the product and therefore avoids wastage. 

For film, we tried other 100% recycled options, but found that these were more porous and reduced the shelf life of the products (which is already quite short when you go for a list of ingredients without artificial preservatives and as clean as possible). 

Over the last few months we have tested many materials: cardboard other than the current one and plastics made from vegetable cellulose, biodegradable and/or compostable. But the data showed that none of these materials allowed us to reduce the impact on resources and at the same time guarantee adequate protection for our products (which, in their refrigerated format, need a protective atmosphere and refrigeration temperatures to remain in good condition for a long period of days, so that they reach your homes in perfect condition). 

Unlike R-PET, celluloses and other plant-based plastics are more permeable and this results in a shorter shelf life (lifetime expiry date), making geographical distribution more difficult and increasing the likelihood of waste. 

In addition, most of these materials are currently more difficult to recycle (as there are no recycling lines) and less efficient to produce, which impedes their circularity and makes them less sustainable (at least at present).

Both the tray and the cardboard sleeve are 100% recyclable in their respective containers for packaging (yellow) and cardboard (blue). 

The film, on the other hand, is not, as it has to be made of only one type of plastic (mono-plastic) to be recyclable. The problem we have encountered with mono-plastic films is that they were more porous and did not allow us to ensure a good heat seal (key to ensuring food safety). 

As with everything here, we are constantly looking for better solutions, so if you know of any below you will find a form where you can give us a hand. 

*When you remove the film from the tray, don't worry if there is a bit of plastic sticking to the top of the tray, as recycling plants separate it easily in a high temperature process.

The FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) is a sustainable forestry certification system promoted by companies that produce and market wood, environmental and human rights organisations concerned about the loss and degradation of the planet's forests.

That the wood, paper and other forest products with this seal come from forests and plantations that are well managed according to strict international sustainability standards and where the raw material comes from forest plantations, where native trees are replanted as part of the process. You may say “sounds great” but what does 'International Sustainability Standards' mean?

• Illegally harvested timber. (Wood that has been harvested in violation of human and labour rights).
• Wood obtained from the harvesting of forests where management activities put their biodiversity and High Conservation Values at risk.
• Wood from natural forests converted to plantations or non-forest uses.

The study was carried out by Inedit, our strategic eco-innovation partner. 

Of course! You will also be able to see the results per country (as each country has its own recycling line). The most interesting thing to see is that the results are almost the same in Spain, Italy, France and UK. 

Download here.

We know that plastic and planet may currently seem incompatible, but the change comes about because using recycled plastic for the fridge format in our packaging is currently the least impactful solution we have found.

After conducting the study, we discovered that R-PET was more sustainable to produce and easier to recycle than our cardboard + double film packaging. 

From this, we have learned a lot about materials, recycling lines and the difference between newly produced plastic. 

The data is clear, when comparing the 2.0 packaging the new R-PET packaging generates 47% less emissions, uses 15% less water and uses 50% less fossil resources.

Plastic has its pros and cons. On the one hand, it is one of the most protective materials for food products and therefore one of the best allies in the fight against waste. But, it is true that in the current system, the waste it generates is a major problem for the environment. 

The data as of today (taking into account current systems, recycling and composting lines) reveals the use of recycled plastic can help the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy, as 16.3 barrels of oil are saved every time 1 tonne of plastic is recycled. (ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng, 2018)

Using recycled plastic means giving a second life to existing resources already circulating in our economy.

Recycling 1 tonne of plastic saves 5,774 kWh of energy (enough energy to charge a Tesla battery more than 100 times). 

For example, if we compare recycled R-PET bottles versus regular PET plastic bottles, greenhouse gas emissions are -82% and fossil fuel consumption is -56%. 

In fact, to date, Greenpeace International says that reusable plastic is one of the best alternatives to our current plastic crisis (Greenpeace, 2020).

That is why today we are committed to a circular plastic economy, using R-PET recycled plastic and promoting its recycling. We know it is not the perfect solution, but it is the best solution we have found so far.