FOR STARTERS … VIRTUAL ADDRESS TAE A HAGGIS
Scots tucked in a "virtual" Burns supper this week thanks to augmented reality (AR) packaging which beamed out a kilted host reciting the "Address Tae a Haggis".
More than 300,000 special AR Haggis Neeps & Tatties packs – including a vegetarian option – were distributed by ready meal specialist McIntosh of Strathmore.
Consumers could download an app, scan a code, and then see a character "leap" from the pack to deliver the Rabbie Burns' poem.
BUYERS BEWARE
Shoppers buying products online could be falling victim to greenwashing, the Consumer and Markets Authority (CMA) has warned. Their investigation suggests around 40 per cent of green claims made online could be misleading, including using vague language or concealing a product's true environmental impact.
SMARTIES HAVE THE ANSWER
What's the future of confectionery packaging? Perhaps Only Smarties Have the Answer! The most shared story we've seen this week is that all Smarties will soon be packaged in recyclable paper in Nestlé's aim to remove the nearly 250 million plastic packs sold worldwide every year.
SUPERMARKET SHELVING PLASTIC
Waitrose has been ranked the number one supermarket for single-use plastic reductions, in a report from the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and Greenpeace.
SUPERMARKET PREVENTING PLASTIC
Lidl has won the Retail Industry Award “Sustainable Initiative of the Year 2020” for the inclusion of Prevented Ocean Plastic™ (POP) packaging in their fish and poultry ranges.
ACTION PACTS
Canada signs up
Canada has become the 10th country to join the Plastics Pact. The network was created to deliver a globally-aligned response to plastic waste and pollution, enabling knowledge sharing and coordinated action. Signatories include The Kraft Heinz Company, Maple Leaf Foods, and many other major brands.
- US sets goals: including defining a list of packaging to be designated as problematic or unnecessary by 2021 and take measures to eliminate them by 2025.
- UK releases report: helping evaluate progress on the journey to 2025 and where efforts require to be focused.
- And Down Under: they've been busy spreading the word about the plastics pact.
HIGHLIGHTS ON THE CIRCULAR ROUTE
CEFLEX have been leading the journey to create a circular economy for flexible packaging by 2025. This week, Project Coordinator Graham Houlder looked at some recent highlights including:
- New processes and market opportunities are creating value.
- Flexible packaging is increasingly being designed for easier collection, sorting and recycling.
- High potential technologies in the innovation pipeline are breaking through.
SUSTAINABLE AD-VOCATES
ExxonMobil have been using advertising across regional news websites to raise awareness of how they are helping to make plastic products – including food packaging – more sustainable and by leading readers to their EnergyFactor information pages.
RESEAL REVEALS
PINGING BACK
The microwave is poised for a big comeback as a luxury kitchen appliance, according to Mike Wystrach, CEO of Freshly. It's all down to the growth of direct-to-door meal kits and the ready meal market as stay-at-home consumers seek more convenience.
DISH OF THE DAY
Do you have an appetite for a lidding film that delivers excellent retail presentation and consumer convenience, as well as exceptional sealing performance? We recommended the K Peel range from our menu of lidding film solutions.
MEAT-FREE IS NO LAUGHING MATTER
"I never missed an episode of Star Trek," was the answer when TV's Vince was asked if he knew what a Vegan was. The vegan message and uptake has come a long way since the 80s, including more than 500,000 sign-ups to Veganuary. We have explored the seriously strong demand for meat-free products and packaging.
NEW C-RANGE – IT'S IN THE BAG
We have a new addition to our C-Range of compostable bio-plastic packaging. The C-Bag N-GMO is made from guaranteed Non-GMO raw materials and is compliant with the Soil Association Food & Drink standards requirements for packaging.
MAKE A DATE
You can register your interest for Packaging Automation's upcoming open day / virtual webinar focusing on meat, seafood, and fish.
AND FINALLY
From the KM team … stay safe, keep up the good work, and value plastic.