Sustainable packaging materials
Products processed by Luiten Food – Thomas Foods Europe are packaged in plastic. Plastic represents one of our biggest waste flows, but it also has advantages. One of the biggest ones is that plastic packaging makes meat and fish keep longer and protects it from physical contamination. Furthermore, plastic packaging leads to less food waste throughout the process from packaging to consumption.
Despite the fact that plastic packaging can reduce food waste, we are exploring alternative packaging methods that can reduce plastic use without compromising food safety. We are also exploring various recyclable options. We are currently testing thinner plastic packaging, in order to start reducing plastic use.
We have recently also started using Flatskin® packaging, which reduces plastic use by up to 75%. Flatskin® packaging consists of a cardboard base with a thin layer of plastic in between. The product is vacuum-sealed in the plastic. This way, the cardboard protects a large part of the product, allowing us to guarantee quality. Flatskins® are fully recyclable, as the cardboard and plastic can easily be separated.
With sustainability in mind, we are open to other options that help reduce plastic use, in addition to the above developments. We are therefore always keeping our eyes open for new packaging technologies.
Looking at the results from 2020, we would like to see how we can make it possible to use only recyclable products by 2030.
As a result of the growth of our production, we have been generating more commercial waste in recent years. This has negatively affected the percentage of recyclable waste. By better separating plastic and cardboard through the use of the plastic press, we expect the percentages to improve in the coming years.
