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Bad reputation

Plastic packaging may be perceived poorly when it comes to eco-friendliness, but thanks to smarter technology, more sophisticated recycling capabilities and clever design, the performance of plastic is on the rise. Emma-Jane Batey speaks to industry leaders to find out how plastic packaging is making its way back into fashion.

Buyers, designers and consumers know that modern packaging needs to be as responsible as it is practical. Nobody wants to see huge amounts of natural resources plundered just to contain our favourite products, but neither do we want to find milk that has leaked all over our shopping or shampoo bottles that disintegrate in a hot shower.

Industry improvements

Smart packaging has to tick many boxes, and if performance is the first on the list, sustainability comes a close second. With plastic having long been the packaging material of choice across the food and personal care sectors, in particular, it makes sense that manufacturers are keen to ensure its reputation doesn’t fall.

In order to stay relevant and address environmental concerns, packaging consultant Sarah Greenwood from Greenwood Packaging Consultancy says that the plastic packaging industry has needed to be innovative.

“Over the last decade, the use of PVC in packaging has all but disappeared from food and household cleaning products,” she gives as an example. “This is partly because of the perception that it is bad for the environment and the health of consumers, but also because it is more difficult to recycle than other thermoplastics.

“In contrast, as the recycling streams in the UK have matured, PET from drinks bottles is now readily recycled. In some cases – like the products of brands including Ribena and Innocent – this material can be reused in bottles, and it can also be turned into thermoformed trays such as those used for bakery products. Many local councils only take bottles for recycling, however, so these trays can easily end up in landfill. So even though a good proportion of plastic packaging is recyclable in theory, in practice, there is still a long way to go.

“And, as always, much of the true innovation is invisible to the end user. Advances in polymer and polymer additive technology mean the polythene film used in bread and produce bags, for instance, has gotten significantly thinner over the years. Now, 28µm is a typical film thickness, but that was cutting edge just a few years ago.”

A force for rigid plastics

For plastic packaging manufacturers, these technological advancements play an important role in ensuring products rate highly in performance and sustainability.

For RPC Bebo, Europe's leading manufacturer of thermoformed packaging, working with customers to create innovative solutions is what has kept the company in a driving position. Operating across Europe with eight manufacturing sites and over 1,200 employees, RPC Bebo’s products include packaging for margarine and spreads, ambient shelf-stable food, coffee capsules and dairy products. Describing itself as a “global force in rigid plastic packaging”, RPC Bebo uses all three conversion processes – blow moulding, injection moulding and thermoforming – to create its packaging.

The company's chief executive, Michael Stegeman, says that the packaging needs of the food industry are focused on the ongoing advantages and challenges associated with plastic. High on the priority list are plastic’s barrier properties, and resistance to high and low temperatures.

“The delivery of product quality, effective brand image and consumer convenience are fundamental to success,” affirms Stegeman. “Our specialist teams enable us to deliver on these essential criteria while ensuring each solution meets the precise needs of the consumer.”

RPC Bebo's customers seem to agree that their plastic packaging needs are being met. One of the company’s most recent innovative projects has seen RPC Design, its dedicated in-house design team, work with the plastic packaging manufacturing division to create something totally new. New brand Yowk asked RPC Design and RPC Bebo to develop a bespoke pack for its pre-boiled egg concept, a fresh idea for the on-the-go-snacking market.

Yowk brand owner The New Egg Company worked with RPC to develop a two-piece pack thermoformed in polypropylene, consisting of a round pot with a snap-on lid. The aim was to provide an easy-to-use pack that could be precisely filled with boiling water to create a perfectly boiled egg. The base of the pack has a hollowed-out section for the egg, while the underside of the lid acts as an egg cup that keeps the egg stable during transit.

RPC Design and RPC Bebo were tasked with creating a plastic pack that would not distort or deform when boiling water was added, and could be comfortably picked up and handled. The overall size of the pack was also critical for ensuring that exactly the right amount of boiling water would be added to cook the egg perfectly. The packaging also includes bread sticks, a spoon, and salt and pepper.

Ian Hetherington, The New Egg Company's managing director, says of the product, “Eggs are a nutritious snack, ideal for people on the go. Yowk allows consumers to enjoy the perfect boiled egg, anytime and anywhere, and RPC has made a huge contribution in helping us to bring this innovation to market.”

 Beauty goes deep

Suffolk-based plastic packaging manufacturer Spectra Packaging takes an ambitious approach to its mission to create products that impress clients and end users at reasonable costs. Describing itself as “driven by a desire and enthusiasm to deliver flexible and responsible solutions for plastic packaging”, Spectra works with a number of leading brands in the toiletries, personal care and cosmetics sectors. It offers a range of plastic packaging in HDPE and glass-like PET containers, as well as a number of caps and closures in HDPE and PET, available in standard and bespoke formats.

Recent investment has seen Spectra increase its production capability. Its latest NPD brings an appealing ‘natural-look plastic’ to the market: with convincing natural finishes including wood, stone and cardboard, this has been created by combining innovative finishing technologies with a unique master-batch effect. Spectra's sales director Jonathan Powell notes, “Our new natural-look capability is further proof that we continue to push the boundaries in rigid plastic packaging. Through innovative finishing and decoration techniques, we can really help our customers elevate their products in fiercely competitive environments.”

In addition, the new natural finishing can be combined with post-consumer recycled materials to offer a more sustainable packaging solution, complementing the 'natural' approach.

 Trade truths

BPF Plastics and Flexible Packaging Group, the UK's leading plastic packaging trade association, represents over 50 UK-based manufacturers of all types of plastic packaging. The group's marketing executive, Giselle Jauregui, believes that myths perpetuated about plastic packaging have to be busted in order for the ‘good bits’ to shine.

Just 1.5% of the world's usage of oil and gas goes towards the making of plastic packaging, Jauregui says, for example – the vast majority is used in transport and heating. As we are increasingly seeing, plastic packaging is also eminently recyclable. She also praises the “continuous improvement through innovation” shown by the UK plastic packaging industry, whose design flair and technical advances have seen, for example, a 1L plastic bottle that weighed 120g in 1970 now weighing just 43g – a reduction of 64%.