Polytag, an innovative technology company, has unveiled an industry-first initiative that helps the Co-op, a convenience retailer, to get unparalleled visibility into its packaging during recycling. The project will involve applying both unique QR codes and UV tags to Co-op own-label PET 2-litre spring water bottles. The QR codes, which are GS1 compliant, can be scanned by consumers, who will be redirected to a Co-op landing page with information about the retailer’s sustainability and charitable commitments. The UV tags, on the other hand, provide barcode-level information captured at recycling centres by Polytag’s analytics dashboard.
The QR codes are applied by Co-op’s bottled water supplier at standard label application speeds. The UV tag layers will be printed by Tipografic using UV flexographic inks, and then applied across the label. This technology is hidden from the human eye and detects whether the packaging is really recycled and how much volume it has. Moreover, the UV tag reading technology was developed by Polytag in partnership with the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre and fitted to the plastics conveyor at Abergele’s Gofer Bulking Centre in Wales.
The project’s objective is to provide Co-op with valuable insight into the recycling chain’s journey, which will inform future initiatives to encourage more people to recycle. It also paves the way for a cost-effective Digital Deposit Return Scheme (DDRS), which will enable consumers to reclaim their deposit via smartphones by scanning the QR codes on used product packaging from their homes in the future.
Both the visible and hidden QR codes and UV tags provide brands with data to quickly describe, tag, and trace their plastic packaging through the circular economy while streamlining packaging and recycling operations. On the horizon, brands classed as obligated packaging producers may be required to benchmark their progress with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). This puts the onus on manufacturers and producers to consider the whole lifecycle of a product, including packaging durability and whether it can be recycled. Both on-pack QR codes and UV tags will provide brands with such data and allow legislators to identify ownership of plastic packaging and measure business liabilities.
Rob Thompson, Co-op’s packaging manager, said, “At Co-op, we champion initiatives that enable a circular recycling economy for all packaging materials. The duality of the UV tag and QR code on our water bottles will enable Co-op to gain a greater understanding of a product’s journey in the recycling chain.” Alice Rackley, CEO of Polytag, claimed that their technology represents the future of creating and maintaining a circular economy in the millions of pieces of packaging that enter the market every year.
