Sustainable Packaging for the Meat Industry

Sustainability was top of the agenda at this year’s foodpro event, as well as solutions to drive greener manufacturing processes, the new education forums delivered sessions on sustainable packaging and food waste reduction.

In partnership with the Australian Institute for Packaging (AIP), a panel discussion on Sustainable Packaging Design for the Meat Industry was delivered to an engaged audience at the Smart Food Lounge.

Meat packaging impacted by fast approaching targets

With reference to the 2025 National Targets, the discussion focused on materials and processes for meat packaging that are plant derived, recycle ready or contain post-consumer material.

Alan Adams, APAC Sustainability Director at SEE spoke about the Hyrdalock meat tray, one of SEE’s latest innovations that has eliminated the need for meat soaker pads (through surface tension), preventing tonnes of material from entering landfill. As well as being recyclable, the Hydralock tray contains 10 per cent PCR content, the processing of which Adams suggests we will be able to facilitate onshore in the next few years.

Collaboration is key in developing fit for purpose solutions

Also on the panel was Warwick Armstrong, GM of Business Development and Marketing at Plantic Technologies, who discussed the benefit of collaboration in developing fit for purpose packaging solutions. Speaking about the WorldStar Award winning meat tray developed for Coles Finest, Armstrong explained that working with Australin plastic recycler, Martogg, has enabled the use of local PCR in the rPET trays – achieving both sustainability and Australian made requirements for the leading retailer.

The final panel member, Jasson Mills, Director of R&D at Amcor Flexibles reiterated the requirement for packaging to be ready for onshore recycling capabilities. He spoke about their product Ecotite R, the first ANZ-manufactured PVC-free shrink bag for meat that offers a more sustainable barrier materials for protein packaging. Ecotite R was also a winner in the 2023 PIDA and WorldStar Awards.

These award-winning products offer meat processors manufacturers options to support businesses in reaching the 2025 Targets set by the Government to change the way Australia creates, collects, and recovers product packaging. All three panellists also emphasised the impact the industry can make in reducing food waste via packaging design.

Find out more about the 2023 PIDA and WorldStar Award winners on the AIP website here.