Arla Foods has announced a formal partnership with Blue Ocean Closures to create a fibre-based cap for its milk cartons.
The farmer-owned dairy cooperative said the move would reduce Arla’s plastic consumption by more than 500 tonnes annually, once implemented.
Blue Ocean Closures
The caps make up around 23% of the plastic used in Arla’s cartons, and it now has set its sights on it as part of its sustainable packaging strategy to eliminate use of fossil-based virgin plastic in its packaging by 2030.
Arla Foods is partnering with Swedish start-up Blue Ocean Closures in an effort to create a solution that could see the dairy cooperative introduce the first fibre-based cap on milk cartons in the industry.
Sustainably Sourced
The cap would have a body made of sustainably sourced FSC fibre material combined with a thin barrier coating.
The use of proprietary vacuum press forming allows for a cap that is bio-based, ocean biodegradable and as recyclable as paper.
With funding from Arla Foods, the plan is now to develop a fully functional prototype and complete the testing phase by start of next year.
'Very Exciting'
“Improving our packaging, including reducing our use of plastic, is imperative to us and we know that consumers are also very invested in this area," said Peter Giørtz-Carlsen, chief commercial officer at Arla Foods.
“This project to explore what could very well be the first fibre-based cap on milk cartons is very exciting and shows that we at Arla are constantly looking to improve and lead the transformation of sustainable packaging.”
