Packaging company Amcor and Mars Food have developed easier to recycle microwavable rice pouches in the UK.
Designed for recycling, the new sustainable pouch will be piloted with Ben’s Ready to Heat Wholegrain rice. From mid-April, the new pouches will be provided in Tesco stores.
In December last year, Amcor collaborated with Mars Food to design easier to recycle packaging for microwaveable food pouches.
Amcor’s advanced AmLite HeatFlex technology has been used in the new pouch to help Mars Food to maintain the shape, long shelf-life, functionality and safety standards required for its ready-to-heat rice packaging.
AmLite HeatFlex technology is suitable for use in a range of applications for food products, which need the packaging to be heated either during manufacturing or at-home consumption.
AmLite HeatFlex technology, which is certified as recyclable by cyclos-HTP Institute, can be easily recycled within plastic collection streams already existing in several European countries such as Germany, Austria, parts of Italy, Norway and The Netherlands.
Amcor also stated that major supermarkets have announced that they are planning to roll out in-store recycling to cover the whole of the UK over the coming years
Amcor Europe, Middle East and Africa president Michael Zacka said: “The new Mars Food pouch breaks new ground and represents significant progress toward both companies’ commitment to more sustainable products.
Mars Food innovation director Matt Cutts said: “This is a huge step forward for Mars and our journey to fully recyclable packaging. The work is not finished, and we hope this innovation will mean greater discussion surrounding the collection and recycling infrastructure that is needed alongside packaging development.”
