This project uses Sun Chemical’s specially developed fluorescent ink on wrap-around labels to generate comprehensive recycling data and support food and drink sustainability initiatives.
Invisible UV tags are printed directly onto food and drink packaging labels using food-safe fluorescent ink that has undergone rigorous safety and recycling testing. As a result, the technology offers brands a reliable way to improve packaging traceability while supporting the development of more sustainable packaging solutions.
Furthermore, the ink is applied through standard printing methods, creating a low-cost, easy-to-integrate solution that does not affect production speed. Unlike the 2023 trial, which used pressure-sensitive labels, this latest iteration uses wrap-around labels to provide greater durability and coverage across food and drink packaging.
When tagged packaging enters the recycling stream, Polytag’s Plastic Detection Units, installed at Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs), capture barcode-level data in real time. This information can help businesses understand packaging performance, respond to evolving food and drink consumer trends, and make more informed decisions about food and drink marketing and packaging development.
Luke Emery, plastics and packaging director, Aldi UK, said: “This next phase with Polytag represents an exciting step forward in how we use data to drive our sustainability strategy. By integrating this advanced traceability technology into our packaging, we can gain deeper insights into the lifecycle of our materials.”
Helena Delgado Nordmann, head of sustainability, Arla Foods UK, added: “As Europe’s largest dairy cooperative, Arla is committed to understanding how our packaging performs beyond point of sale. By working with Polytag, we hope to gain valuable insight into how milk bottle packaging moves through the recycling system, helping us to make more informed decisions about future packaging developments and supporting our ongoing efforts to improve packaging circularity.”
Stefaan D’hoore, director of business development, specialty inks & coatings, Sun Chemical, said: “This deployment marks an exciting milestone as the first commercial use of Sun Chemical’s fluorescent ink with Polytag’s technology, demonstrating how collaboration across the packaging value chain can support greater transparency and help accelerate the transition to a more circular economy.”