Tesco boosts pack recyclability

The three companies have worked together to bring the lightweight Linpac Rfresh Elite plastic pack for meat and poultry to Tesco shelves.

This novel pack is made from in excess of 95% food-safe recycled content, which is typically recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) water bottles recovered from household waste.

Unlike other designs on the market, the pack features a specially-designed sealant between the rigid tray and top film, which avoids the need for a polyethylene layer and makes the mono-material easier to process by recycling companies.

The process is the same as that used to recycle clear plastic water bottles, so that the resulting clear rPET can re-enter the recycling chain to create closed-loop recycling.

Importantly, the Elite sealant reduces the amount of material required to produce the pack, which reduces its carbon footprint. Up to 5% lighter in weight than equivalent rPET trays, the pack has been developed in line with the Linpac Project LIFE (Lightweighting for Excellence) initiative.

“As a food business, our long-term success depends on the health of the natural environment and our customers tell us this is important to them too,” ​says Dr Mark Caul, technical manager for packaging at Tesco.

Contact Linpac Packaging​ for more information.