Food producers aiming to limit the environmental impact of their operations must continuously monitor legislative changes and track trends in waste collection and processing systems.

Sowa Bistro: PET Instead of Paper

The Sowa Bistro concept, offering salads, snacks and lunch dishes, operates in more than half of the 180 Cukiernia Sowa locations in Poland. Until last year, these products were sold in packaging made of polyethylene-coated paper with a ‘craft’, artisanal design. Last year, the company decided to replace them with transparent PET packaging.

‘We analysed what happens to the packaging after use, and it turned out that paper covered with a layer of polyethylene — which provides a barrier against grease and water vapour — may look “eco”, but in practice, it is not subjected to material recycling in Poland,’ saysJoanna Hermanowicz, R&D Manager at Cukiernia Sowa.

‘We therefore looked for asolution that can be recycled and for which widely available processing technologies exist within recycling processes“. Ultimately, we decided on packaging made of PET, which protects products at least as effectively while being suitable for material recycling; in practice, it is one of the most frequently processed plastics in Poland’.

The process of changing the packaging took a year and included material and supplier selection, testing, redesign, as well as an information campaign and rebranding. Currently, Sowa Bistro shelves feature salads and dishes in packaging made of rigid, transparent material derived from virgin sources and containing high-quality recyclates.

While creating its development strategy for the coming years, Cukiernia Sowa will develop a system to measure the environmental effects resulting from the switch to PET packaging material.

Paper Under Scrutiny at Millano Group

Millano Group, one of Poland’s largest chocolate and confectionery producers, is working in the opposite direction, verifying the possibility of replacing traditional plastic film packaging for chocolates with a paper alternative. This is driven by a lack of demand from recyclers for flexible plastic waste, which includes films. This lack of demand stems from the high diversity of the entire flexible plastic waste fraction, making proper segregation economically unjustifiable at present. As a result, plastic packaging waste that cannot be sent for material recycling ends up in alternative fuel preparation facilities.

‘In the context of PPWR requirements, which provide for the establishment of detailed criteria for design for recycling, and from 2030, the obligation to achieve specific recycling performance classes as a condition for placing packaging on the market, we have begun searching for new solutions,’ says Magdalena Soboczyńska, Packaging Implementation Specialist at Millano Group.
‘Due to uncertainty regarding the development directions of the recycling market in the coming years, we aim to develop alternative packaging solutions that will provide flexibility and readiness for various regulatory and market scenarios’, she adds.

Paper, although recyclable and perceived by consumers as more environmentally friendly than plastics, does not provide the protective and barrier properties required for chocolate packaging. In practice, it must be covered with a layer that protects the product on one hand and does not hinder recycling in the paper stream on the other. This material must effectively block oxygen, water vapor, and, above all, grease, which must not penetrate to the outside of the packaging. Additionally, it must be sufficiently flexible, formable, and compatible with existing packaging lines without requiring significant technological changes.

‘We cannot forget the most important aspect: product protection, which directly translates into reducing food waste—a factor associated with a significant environmental burden across the entire supply chain. Therefore, we make every effort to ensure that the change in packaging does not shorten the product’s shelf life or affects it as little as possible,’ emphasises Magdalena Soboczyńska.

For a year, Millano has been testing packaging made of paper coated with a barrier lacquer in its laboratory. Both the packaging and the chocolate stored within it are being evaluated. Products have also been sent to a specialized external laboratory to conduct more advanced tests. However, the final results are still pending because the shelf life for chocolate is up to two years, and the passage of time cannot be simulated by, for example, heating the product.

‘The long research cycle means we must closely observe market trends and introduce new packaging for our products well in advance,’ points out Magdalena Soboczyńska.

Natureef Helps Track Changes

Polish food producers are undertaking numerous activities to limit the negative impact of their operations on the environment. They use green energy, plan production considering the seasonality of raw materials, optimize resource use in technological processes, encourage the purchase of products with shorter expiration dates, and cooperate with organizations and applications aimed at preventing food waste.

In the area of packaging, decisions are increasingly influenced by law, which introduces requirements for designing recyclable packaging, taking into account collection, sorting, and processing conditions, as well as the capacity for recycling within the EU.

Leading food producers in Poland, such as those associated with the Natureef association—including Cukiernia Sowa and Millano Group—systematically track legal and market changes by using the guides we publish, participating in expert meetings, or attending site visits to waste processing plants organised by Natureef.

‘Without a practical understanding of these areas, it is difficult to make responsible design decisions and implement packaging solutions,’ saysJaśmina Solecka, President of the Natureef Association.

Photo:
Sowa Bistro salad and meal packaging made of PET material
Fot.: Cukiernia Sowa materials