Food and Beverage Business
Packaging

Alpla’s Slim-Line Containers Comply with PPWR Regulations

Alpla's Slim-Line Containers Comply with PPWR Regulations compliance, environmental standards, Here are some tags based on the title provided: Alpla, packaging, plastic containers, PPWR regulations, Sustainability, thin-walled containers Food and Beverage Business

Alpla is set to revolutionize food and beverage packaging by producing thin-walled containers for dairy products using recycled PET for the very first time.

This innovative solution meets all criteria outlined by the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and is slated to commence series production in the fourth quarter of 2025.

In collaboration with machine manufacturer Engel, mould maker Brink, label producer iPB Printing, and joint venture partner Intopack, the injection moulding division ALPLAinject has successfully created thin-walled PET plastic cups incorporating recycled material through the rePETec process. This advanced method integrates technology, moulding, processing, and material treatment, allowing for fully recyclable packaging made with up to 100% rPET. Alpla noted that achieving the 30% recycled material content mandated by the PPWR for PET is readily attainable.

The PPWR sets a clear trajectory for the future of food and beverage packaging in the EU, mandating that dairy products—such as yogurt, cheese spreads, pudding, cream, and curd cheese—be packed in a more sustainable manner. Starting in 2030, plastic food packaging must incorporate a minimum percentage of recycled material, with penalties for non-compliance.

However, traditional cups for dairy products are made from polypropylene (PP) or polystyrene (PS), neither of which currently has an approved recycling method for food contact materials from mechanical recycling processes. Only small quantities of recycling material are available via chemical recycling, which proves to be significantly more costly and energy-consuming.

“With rePETec, we create stable packaging with thin walls made of rPET, can recycle it after use, and access the existing and established PET recycling stream. None of this has been feasible so far. With this solution, manufacturers of dairy products meet all legal requirements while simultaneously bolstering the regional circular economy,” stated Thomas Maibohm, head of sales and product management for thin-wall packaging at Alpla. Following a successful test phase, Alpla and Intopack are poised to begin series production in the fourth quarter of 2025—initially offering two standard formats of 180 and 300 millilitres. Depending on customer needs, filling volumes may range from 100 to 500 millilitres.

With walls measuring just 0.32 millimetres and featuring integrated in-mould labelling (IML), these cups minimize weight and material consumption. While the specific weight of rPET is higher, it is significantly offset by improved barrier properties, thereby extending shelf life compared to conventional PP cups. ‘This opens up new opportunities for dairy products and can prevent food waste,’ said Thomas Maibohm.

Alpla ensures that high-quality rPET is sourced from its own recycling facilities in Europe. “Quality and availability are guaranteed in the long term,” emphasized Thomas Maibohm, highlighting the advantages of this initiative. Once used, the PET yogurt pots can be reintegrated into the well-established PET bottle recycling cycle, with the PP label removed during mechanical recycling.

“The cups enhance the ‘bottle-to-bottle’ cycle. In the future, a bottle can become a cup and then back into a bottle, and so forth. This saves resources, reduces waste, and offers significant cost benefits,” Maibohm stressed.

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