When choosing food packaging, factors like materials, interests, costs, methods, waste disposal, packaging processes, and exports all play a role. That complicates selecting the most sustainable packaging even more. "There are always pros and cons to a good choice," begins Leo Venhuizen of Guillin Netherland. "Our expanded portfolio that now includes cardboard and bags, plus our European products, market and regulations knowledge, means our sales representatives can advise you correctly."
Maxipack Cardboard Top Seal Tomatos, foto Guillin
Plastic is usually the standard packaging material but has a negative image. Environmental movements have called attention to litter and the plastic soup in the ocean. That made retailers more deliberate in their packaging policy. Governments boosted that further, by that, per country, tightening their rules. Paper and cardboard were marketed as alternatives, also by Groupe Guillin. Through acquisitions in recent years, especially in cardboard plants, they can now fill that demand as well as they always could for plastic packaging, Leo says.
"We want to offer a total package, including independent packaging advice. Because, sometimes, you should use the right plastic, and at others, cardboard suffices. We have the big advantage of having plenty of data and know-how, so we can help our customers choose wisely. You have to consider all kinds of things, both functionally and what’s desired from the retail point of view. Here, of course, the environmental aspect is taken into account as is what the different European governments allow," Leo explains.
Maxipack Paniers Produce, foto Guillin
Less plastic is not automatically better; neither is more cardboard. The choice of material depends on things like the product and packaging properties in relation to its function. When making packaging more sustainable, it is vital first to consider preventing loss and maintaining food safety. You can also zoom in on sustainability by reducing packaging materials or using more sustainable and/or reusable materials. "In recent years, retail has relied heavily on cardboard, but now, market demand for plastic, especially rPET, is returning. That's perfect for recycling or reuse. Groupe Guillin has been producing rPET, among other things, for years. Much is made of recycled plastic with an inner and outer layer of new plastic. That ensures food safety and functionality," says Leo.
Cardboard's major advantage is that you can print on it and, thus, add value to your product via its presentation. "It's used especially for apples, pears, kiwis, and exotics," says F&V New Business Manager Harold Moring. The disadvantage is reduced product visibility. So, there is less demand for cardboard packaging for products like (soft) fruits, processed vegetables, and tomatoes. "Consumers like seeing those products, including their bottom. Here, an rPET topseal packaging is a good solution as it promotes the reduction of plastic (no lid) and the reuse of raw materials," he explains.
Maxipack Airlite SPA, a mono-material solution with a protective base, foto Guillin
Sharpak, part of Groupe Guillin, is at the heart of this development. Leo: "Topseal was already used for packaging meat/chicken/fish in the early 2000s. The English market adopted that for soft fruit, herbs, and tomatoes. We've kept developing that in the Northwest European market with some of our clients and chain partners since then. Today, almost all soft fruit and other fruit and vegetable products use topseal."
Recycling and reusing becomes tricky when the plastic is multi-layered or made of multiple materials. Though that is sometimes unavoidable, there are still many gains to be made in this area. The group recently had a promising development come from their United Kingdom (Sharpak) branch. "UK retail wanted to get rid of the bubble pad - which acts as a shock absorber in the bottom of strawberry trays - because it disrupts the recycling process. Groupe Guillin has developed a SPA tray, a mono-material solution with a protective base that replaces those pads. We're introducing this packaging in other European countries now, and it's starting to take off," Leo continues.
Along with retailer wishes, governments have rules about what is allowed. There is no uniform European policy (yet), and some countries are far stricter than others. In France, the law already stipulates that fruit and vegetable packaging of less than 1.5 kg must be plastic-free—a challenging task for the sector. "The list of exceptions is growing, proving that plastic has many advantages. For example, tomatoes in cardboard sales plummeted, thus, having the opposite effect: fewer sales and more wastage. Food waste is the last thing retailers want," Leo knows.
Maxipack Airlite SPA, foto Guillin
Choosing sustainable packaging without sacrificing functionality is quite a puzzle. Guillin Nederland helps its customers with that. "But it doesn't stop there," Harold points out. After choosing, availability at the right time is crucial. Filling demand (quickly) and following market dynamics must be well managed. "We work on a forecasting basis, but ensure we can always respond quickly if a demand (suddenly) arises," says Annelies Ruijssenaars (Customer Service Guillin Netherlands). "From our two Dutch stock depots, we can manage our stocks well and switch quickly with our clients and the Guillin factories. We can, thus, always meet packaging demands in the required sizes," she concludes.
Leo Venhuizen
lvenhuizen@guillinnederland.nl
Groupe Guillin
www.groupeguillin.com