In Italy, global consumer goods and foodstuffs major Unilever PLC has introduced its Carte d’Or ice cream in a new paperboard packaging. The bowl is made from PEFC certified renewable fibre with a biodegradable barrier coating, and after use, it can be either recycled or composted in industrial composting facility.
The Carte d’Or packages are produced by Seda Italy in Naples.
The paperboard material used in the Carte d’Or packaging is Cupforma Natura produced by Finland-headed forest industry major Stora Enso. The board has a biodegradable barrier on both sides to preserve ice cream safely in freezing and moist conditions.
Paperboard replaces plastic
The benefits of the new paperboard bowl over the former, plastic packaging are evident. The raw material comes from traceable and sustainable sources. The paperboard bowl is 23 percent lighter than the former plastic packaging, and it helps Unilever to reduce plastic drastically.
As the total use is 11 million packages in a year, the new package enables Unilever to use 520 tonnes less plastic per year – ten tonnes less every week.
Unilever is aiming to more circular economy in many ways, and new packaging innovations are crucial for our target to make all our packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025. Unilever has also signed a two-year partnership with the WWF to clean beaches from plastic, said Giorgio Nicolai, Marketing Director from Unilever.
Specially designed lid
Not only the bowl but also its lid is made from the same, compostable paperboard from Stora Enso, which provides excellent print quality to showcase the brand. The nestable lid is manufactured by unique and proprietary technology developed by Seda International.
According to Armando Mariano, R&D Product and Material Director at Seda International Packaging Group, the goal of the project with Unilever was to make something different from the former plastic packaging, reduce packaging weight, plastic content and improve the end-of-life options.
The organic waste collection works quite well in Italy, so biodegradable and compostable packaging makes sense and consumers like that option.
