2022 Annual News Wrap-Up

FOR STARTERS …

PLASTIC PACKAGING TAX LAUNCHED

The UK Plastic Packaging Tax came into force on April 1, and its effectiveness was immediately questioned. Packaging manufacturers and industry bodies feared the tax lacked the necessary detail to reduce fossil fuel-based material usage effectively.

Also, there was concern the tax would instead punish businesses actively attempting to lower their carbon footprint.

GUIDANCE ON HOW TO PREPARE FOR EPR

The Government and CEFLEX published guidance to support UK organisations as they began preparations for the extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging.

We produced a quick guide to EPR and published an article on how recycled content plays a vital role in the future of plastics. Alan Lockhart, Business Unit Director at KM, also told Grocery Trader (see Page 76) that EPR will be a key driver in packaging development over the next two to three years.

Organisations affected by the EPR for packaging must take steps to collect the correct packaging data from January 1, 2023.

SOARING COSTS CONCERN

Flexible Packaging Europe (FPE) stated concern about high raw material costs and current energy prices. We also reported the effects on the food and agricultural sector of the war in Ukraine would be “profound” with ramifications across the food chain

Meanwhile, the British Plastics Federation (BPF) published an insightful webinar entitled "Global Polymers Update - Trends, Fundamentals and a Look Ahead to 2022".

FRUGAL FAMILIES CHOSE FROZEN

The boss of Tesco said households are switching from buying fresh food to cheaper frozen goods as the cost of living bites into budgets. Proseal took the opportunity to remind us why tray sealing is perfect for frozen food and the convenience market in general.

MARKET OUTLOOK

• Flexible optimism: The global flexible packaging market size was expected to reach £256 billion by 2027 and more than £300 billion by 2030, according to reports.
• Flexible pessimism: Experts expressed concern about the impact of spiralling price increases on the flexible packaging sector.

MAJOR PROJECT LAUNCHED FOR RECYCLING OF FLEXIBLES

The UK's largest collaborative project was launched to support the collection and recycling of flexible plastic packaging. The multi-million-pound FlexCollect initiative aimed to provide local authorities with financial support and expertise to deliver a series of collection and recycling pilots until 2025.

Also, CEFLEX and Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW) joined forces to recycle household flexibles at a commercial scale in Europe.

TOPPNG THE TABLE

Waitrose and Lidl were the UK's greenest supermarkets in a ranking of their greenhouse gas emissions and efforts to cut plastic and food waste. They topped Which? magazine's first supermarket sustainability table.

MISSING THE TARGETS

• Big food and beverage firms were set to miss their plastic sustainability targets, according to a progress report.
• Aldi struggled to deliver on its sustainability commitment of making all own-label packaging recyclable by the end of 2022.
• Iceland was set to miss its target of removing all plastic from its own-brand products this year due to the pandemic and war in Ukraine.

PLASTICS EMISSIONS ‘LOWER THAN ALTERNATIVES’

Plastics were reported to have a lower total GHG (greenhouse gas) contribution than alternatives in most applications.

CLEANING UP GREENWASHING

Leading brands were accused of making claims about plastic packaging that amount to “greenwashing”. Root Innovation had looked at the problem of greenwashing, including the EU’s new Substantiating Green Claims initiative.

WASTE CRISIS CONCERNS

Plastics charity RECOUP warned that switching from plastics to other materials will not solve the waste crisis. And an IGD report called for an urgent reassessment of the UK packaging strategy.

MAJOR MONO MARKETS SHIFT

We reported that moving to mono was a shift in most major markets due to mono material’s significant contribution to packaging recyclability. PKN Packaging News invited us to collaborate on an article on the topic (see Page 34).

We also launched PCR product solutions across our K-Peel^®, K-Foil^® and K-Seal^® ranges and released our range of sustainable lidding film solutions.

RECYCLING SCHEME COLLAPSED

Australia’s largest plastic bag recycling program, REDcycle, collapsed amid revelations hundreds of millions of bags and other soft plastic items dropped off by customers were being secretly stockpiled in warehouses and not recycled.

Soon after, a groundswell of support began to grow for REDcycle. We also launched our range of REDcycle approved non-PET lidding films for the Australian market. You can read about our cold peelable combinations of PE and PPs lidding films in our “Sustainable Lidding Films – Australia” Insight Guide".

LAW AND ORDER

• The European Commission revealed landmark plans to introduce new targets to reduce packaging waste, implement reuse systems, and boost the use of recycled material across all packaging formats.
• New legislation was signed in California requiring all packaging to be recyclable or compostable by 2032 and for packaging makers to pay for recycling plastic waste.
• A Recycled Materials Pledge was launched by the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO).
• Some of the world’s largest brands called for the creation of an international pact to address plastic pollution.
• Nearly 200 countries agreed to start negotiations on an international agreement to take action on the "plastic crisis". UN members were tasked with developing an overarching framework for reducing plastic waste worldwide.

IN TRAY NEWS

• Black trays on blacklist: The US Plastics Pact identified 11 plastic packaging items in its “Problematic and Unnecessary Materials” list that were not currently reusable, recyclable, or compostable at scale and likely will not be by 2025.
• Getting teeth into trays: A mono-material recyclable meat tray was launched that is sealed using a series of raised teeth instead of applying a layer of polyethylene or adhesive.
• Sounds good on paper: A certified compostable and dual ovenable food tray based on paper was developed by Australian food packaging manufacturer Confoil and BASF.
• Tests to reduce plastic: Packaging Automation shared how they were helping customers reduce plastic packaging in the fresh produce sector, putting NETPAC to the test.

IN ALTERNATIVES

• Appliance of science: Scientists devised alternative ways to keep produce fresh for longer with biodegradable food packaging and a cellulose protective coating.
  
  Other boffins developed a new PET-like plastic made from the non-edible parts of plants, a food packaging material from pineapple waste, and a spray that creates a plant-based coating on your food.
   
• Coating of many colours: Asda also launched an innovative new material coating for produce. The material is made from the proteins and cellulose found in fruit and vegetable seeds, peels and pulps, mixed with water.
• Fishy with eggshells: A leading organic salmon producer launched a plastic-free, compostable packaging solution developed using high levels of carbonite calcium, a material found in eggshells.
• Seaweed solution shortlisted: A start-up that developed a seaweed-based biodegradable alternative to plastic was named one of the first UK finalists of the Prince of Wales’ Earthshot Prize.
• Shell shock: Lobster shells left over from processing were being used in Canada to create a biopolymer that can be incorporated into environmentally-friendly packaging with antimicrobial properties. 

IN RECYCLING

• Nationally-unified system: The Government was urged to establish a nationally-unified recycling system and invest in chemical recycling so businesses could comply with the new UK Plastic Packaging Tax.
  
  This followed the launch of FlexCollect, the UK's largest collaborative project to support the collection and recycling of flexible plastic packaging.
   
• Less is more: An industry expert claimed greater standardisation in design and less variety are the best ways to make it worthwhile economically to recycle flexible packaging.
• Flexible partnership: CEFLEX and Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW) joined forces to recycle household flexibles at a commercial scale.
• Design initiatives: Flexible food packaging containing aluminium foil was to be included in the CEFLEX testing programme. And new research into how flexible packaging can be designed for optimal sorting and recycling was to be co-funded by CEFLEX and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
  
  Both initiatives aimed to update the Designing for a Circular Economy (D4ACE) guidelines initially issued in 2020.
   
• Chemical attraction: More than 90 projects for the chemical recycling of plastics were in various stages of development worldwide, according to a trend study. And a vision and principles paper highlighted that chemical recycling was the only way to recycle large volumes of flexible plastic packaging into food-grade recycled content (under European regulations).
• Growing plants: New recycling plants were being developed worldwide, including in France, Germany, and the US and Europe. In the UK, developments were planned for Cheshire, Fife, and in Sunderland.
• Testing the water: A novel process for recycling mixed plastic packaging using “supercritical water” was to be developed by technology consultancy Stopford.
• Trading trouble: Recycling Technologies – one of the UK’s most prominent chemical recyclers – entered administration.

IN PACKAGING

Various packaging initiatives emerged during the year, including:

• Rice touch: Fully recyclable packs being used for Aldi’s own-brand rice.
• Small bites: A portion-control solution being released by Cadbury.
• Vine choice: Recyclable packaging from M&S for its vine tomatoes.
• Baby steps: The UK’s first baby food pouch that can be recycled at home.
• Freezer pack: Iceland’s paper recyclable packaging solutions for frozen food.
• Pop idol: Lidl’s fresh meat packaging made from a minimum of 30% prevented ocean plastic (POP).
• High steaks: Double-stacked steaks in a new pack format from Ocado.
• New twist: Nestlé switching its twist-wrapped sweets for Quality Street into recyclable paper.
• Paper trail: Mars Wrigley rolling out paper-based packaging for its Mars Bar, Snickers and Milky Way chocolate bar lines in Australia.
• Say cheese: The introduction of side-opening, resealable packs for cheese from Cathedral City, and Mondi and Hazeleger Kaas launching recyclable cheese packaging for the Dutch market.

Reducing usage of plastic

Examples of steps to reduce plastic usage included:

• Film switch: Replacing clam-shell or clip-on lids with top sealing with film (saving up to 10 tonnes of plastic for every one million trays sealed) as illustrated in this video from  Proseal.
• Date removal: More than 40 food and drink brands signing up for an initiative to move away from use-by labels and thus reducing packaging due to the lower turnover of products. And, for the same benefits, “best before” dates have been ditched by M&S on 300 fruit and veg products.
• Packing heat: Heat-sealed punnets being launched by Piñata Farms’ Sunshine Coast farm, in Australia, reducing packaging by 30 per cent.

IN COMPOSTABLES

• Climate benefits: Proposed new European Commission packaging rules acknowledged the environmental and climate benefits of compostable plastic packaging.
• Feasibility study: A coalition of industry, infrastructure, and academic associations was launched to study the feasibility of collecting, sorting, and treating compostable packaging through existing bio-waste collection and treatment programmes.
• Finger pointing: DEFRA was accused by the BBIA of avoiding "meaningful scientific discussion" on compostable packaging
• Material doubt:  Online grocer Abel & Cole removed all compostable plastic from its fruit and vegetable boxes, claiming research casts doubt over the material.
• General approval: A survey found that compostable bags made from renewable raw materials gained broad consumer acceptance.
• Suppliers’ demand: Suppliers of compostable packaging said an improved collection and recycling infrastructure and clearer product labelling were required to support the market’s expansion.

HERE AT KM …

In the spring, we announced that we had become an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT). The move was to ensure KM remained true to its core values while continuing to grow and innovate for the greater long-term benefit of its employees, customers, and partners.

OUR NEW MD
 
In July, Fran Busby joined us as Managing Director. Fran said: "I'm very excited to be given the opportunity to lead the KM team into the future."
 
We also welcomed:

• Justin Hattee: who recently joined as Chief Financial Officer.
• Matt Read: in his role as International Business Development Manager.
• Charlotte Campbell: the newest member of our Customer Service team.
• Emma Furness: who joined our Finance team. 

20 years with KM

Amanda Taylor spoke to us about her 20 years with KM. From helping to gain quality certification to coping with surging energy prices, Amanda shared some insights into the joys and challenges of her career.

Still setting the AA-grade standards
 
We continued to set the highest standards for product quality and safety. We were awarded an AA grade in our BRCGS Audit for the fifth year.
 
We also published more information about our flexible solutions, including:

• K-Reseal video – discover our multipeel lidding film.
• PCR – lidding film solutions containing post-consumer recycled content.
• Sustainable lidding film solutions - for the Australian market and beyond. 
• High barrier mono material solutions for the fresh protein sector - in our K-Peel^® and K-Seal^® lidding film ranges.

In the trade press, Packaging News (PKN) invited us to collaborate on an article on the topic of mono material.  Plus, we discussed sustainability in packaging in an edition of Grocery Trader.  

Your handy film calculator

We released a handy Film Calculator. The simple online tool lets you quickly calculate roll length, diameter, and material thickness.

In our case studies ...

• Bags of freshness: Nonna Tonda started using our compostable zipper bags, developed in partnership with Treetop Biopak.
• Kosher lids:  We collaborated with Kosher Arabia, who needed a peelable lidding film to work with their fibre tray.
• Wonky bread: We provided a home-compostable bag for the UK’s first “wonky” bread box.
• Resealable lidding film: You can read about our project with Best Berries in New Zealand.

Cling film innovation launched

We also launched a new alternative to traditional cling film – home-compostable C-Cling. It is clear, stretchy, and sticky and performs the same as conventional cling film. And it captured global attention, for example, in Australia, the US, Canada, and Singapore.

Looking to the future

What will 2023 deliver? We are planning to head into the New Year with some exciting news, so we hope you stay connected as we bring you more industry insights, snippets, and information.

From the KM team … thank you for your support during 2022 and we wish you all a safe, peaceful and happy holiday season.