Tetra Pak, in collaboration with García Carrión, has announced the groundbreaking launch of its paper-based barrier technology for juice packaging. This major advancement in sustainable food and drink packaging represents a significant move towards minimizing dependence on fossil-based materials, with the new solution now rolling out in various markets.
World’s First Aseptic Carton with Paper-Based Barrier for Juice
In partnership with renowned Spanish beverage producer García Carrión, Tetra Pak has introduced the Tetra Brik® Aseptic 200 ml Slim Leaf carton featuring a paper-based barrier for juice under the well-established Don Simón brand. This marks the first-ever juice portion pack globally to utilize this innovative barrier technology, now available in Spain.
Crafted with up to 80% paper, the new packaging solidifies its sustainability credentials. By combining the paper-based barrier with plant-based polymers in the coatings, the renewable content reaches an impressive 92%, while concurrently reducing the carbon footprint by 43% compared to traditional aseptic packages that use aluminum foil and fossil-based polymers, as verified by the Carbon Trust1.
“We are proud to lead the way in sustainable packaging for the juice category. For more than 135 years, García Carrión has been committed to responsible innovation and respect for the environment,” stated Don José García Carrión, President of García Carrión. “This innovation supports our mission to reduce environmental impact while offering high-quality products to our consumers,” added Fala Corujo, Vice President of García Carrión.
For García Carrión, this innovative packaging solution embodies a new application of its 360° Sustainability Strategy, which has earned recognition through the Factories of the Future Award 2024 for Excellence in Sustainability and Circular Economy.
Tatiana Liceti, Executive Vice President of Packaging Solutions at Tetra Pak, remarked, “This launch represents a significant step in our journey towards fully renewable and recyclable packaging. By collaborating with our customers, we prove that sustainable innovation can scale across markets and categories while maintaining packaging functionality and quality.”
What is the Paper-Based Barrier?
Tetra Pak’s paper-based barrier signifies a breakthrough in aseptic carton design. It replaces the conventional aluminum foil layer with a renewable, paper-based barrier, promoting a transition from fossil-based materials to a low-carbon, renewable alternative while considerably reducing the package’s carbon footprint. This innovative barrier works in conjunction with other packaging layers to safeguard against oxygen, light, moisture, and bacteria, ensuring food safety is upheld and shelf life remains comparable to traditional packages. Aseptic cartons featuring this new paper-based barrier can be collected, sorted, and recycled in regions with adequate recycling infrastructure, thereby enhancing operational efficiency.
Furthermore, the paper-based barrier is expected to facilitate more effective recycling processes. This includes maximizing the recovery of paper content during the recycling of carton packages while guaranteeing high-quality fiber and non-fiber fractions.
Tetra Pak’s paper-based barrier technology aligns with its broader ambition to create the world’s most sustainable food and drink packaging solution—one that is entirely paper-based, made from responsibly sourced renewable or recycled materials, with the lowest possible carbon footprint, and fully recyclable2.
The introduction of Tetra Pak’s aseptic beverage carton with a paper-based barrier was previously unveiled in collaboration with a dairy company in Portugal in 2023. This initiative was recognized for its innovative approach in sustainable food packaging, receiving the “Resource Efficiency” award at the Sustainable Packaging News Awards 2024.
Discover more about Tetra Pak at tetrapak.com