02 Mar 2022 --- Huhtamaki is transitioning Unilever’s Carte D’Or ice cream packaging to recyclable paper tubs and lids with a layer of polyethylene for sealing. The move to paper-based packaging will help the brand eliminate more than 900 metric tons of virgin plastic in the UK annually. Nadia Capovilla Andrietta, product development manager, and David Julian, global key account manager at Huhtamaki, tell PackagingInsights: “Paper has proven to be performant in the packaging industry for different applications, also under challenging filling, logistic and shelf life conditions.”“The key point here is that it needs to last long enough for its application. In terms of costs, paper may be a bit more expensive than a plastic solution, however, the [environmental] sustainability credentials and excellent functionality deliver the value required.”The new Carte D’Or packaging is already available across the UK and will be introduced across the brand’s entire ice cream range. The paper tubs and lids use 93% less plastic per tub, which translates to a “significant” reduction in the amount of plastic used annually. “The new tubs are made of paper with a very thin layer of polyethylene used for sealing,” they add.Furthermore, the packaging solution is made using fibers from Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certified sustainably managed forests.
