Polytag and Biffa have teamed up with UK retailers Ocado Retail, Co-op, and Aldi to deliver unprecedented packaging lifecycle data in the food packaging industry. This collaboration is part of Recoup’s 26-week long ‘Bottle to Bottle’ project, supported by label printer Interket UK, Arla Foods, and Müller Milk & Ingredients.
As part of this project, Co-op’s water bottles and Aldi and Ocado’s milk will be marked with UV 2D tags printed by Interket UK. Additionally, Biffa’s Teesside MRF facility in the northeast of England will retrofit a Polytag UV tag reader onto its plastic conveyor. By leveraging the Polytag dashboard, retailers will have access to real-time data insights, enabling them to optimize their sustainability strategies by understanding where, when, and how much packaging has been recycled.
Polytag’s solution will also enable Biffa to capture real-time data on packaging composition directly through its processing operations. This information will inform recycling strategies and guide investments in sorting and recovery equipment. Moreover, Polytag’s technology will facilitate the tracking of materials throughout their lifecycle.
CEO of Polytag, Alice Rackley, emphasizes that their solution provides actionable insights to address recycling challenges. She highlights the importance of data in inciting meaningful change and achieving sustainability goals for brands and retailers. Anne Hitch, business and project development lead for Recoup, adds that transparent and granular data on packaging recycling is crucial for policy and infrastructure developments.
Biffa’s Senior Commercial Development Manager, Carla Brian, highlights their commitment to closed-loop plastic recycling and their eagerness to explore new technologies that optimize resource recovery. The collaboration with Recoup and Polytag will provide invaluable insights and data on plastic packaging, enabling informed decision-making and shaping responses to recycling policies in the UK.
David Acott, Operations Director (UK) at Interket UK, acknowledges the success of their previous collaboration with Polytag and Ocado Retail. Acott mentions that their Ecoket range of materials played a vital role in printing over 5 million labels for the retailers’ packaging. The involvement in this new project presents exciting opportunities for brands and retailers, paving the way for a more sustainable circular economy.
In summary, this groundbreaking collaboration between Polytag, Biffa, and prominent UK retailers aims to revolutionize the packaging lifecycle data in the food packaging industry. The project will leverage cutting-edge technology to provide real-time insights to retailers, informing their sustainability strategies and promoting responsible recycling practices. With the support of Recoup and Interket UK, this initiative will greatly contribute to the circular economy and drive positive change in the industry.
