Good from the inside out!
March is B Corp month and today is Global Recycling Day. A great occasion to talk about how businesses can be a force for good. Let’s take a look at how Alpro is working towards closing the loop on packaging. Inside our packs you’ll find only the best plant-based ingredients. And we’re taking a look at what’s happening on the outside, too. Recycling is a key part of the circular economy, helping to protect our natural resources. Waste is only really waste if you throw it away. Where others see waste, we see resources. That’s what closed-loop packaging is all about. As part of our pledge “feeding our future with plants”, our destination for 2025 is to see all our packaging made of plant-based or recycled materials and 100% recyclable. We’re not there yet but we’re working on it.
Putting plant-based products in plant-based packs
Alpro is committed to maximize the reduction of carbon emissions in our full value chain, from sourcing of materials and ingredients to production and packaging. By setting science-based targets we aim to reduce our carbon emissions at least to the level where we help keep global warming below 1.5 Cº. After an analysis of our packaging, we concluded that if we could convert our full range of beverage cartons to plant-based, then we could meet our science-based targets for packaging. Plant-based plastics cut carbon emissions and save resources - oil is finite but plants grow back. Our packaging is made from at least 73% plant-based materials, a mix of paper and bio-based plastic. 24% is made from plastic and only 3% is aluminum. Over 76% is recyclable by design. All Alpro’s 1L drinks come in low carbon packages made with Bonsucro certified sugarcane-based plastics. By switching to plant-based plastics for our drink cartons, we saved over 4,000 tons of carbon. Makes sense, just as saying goodbye to plastic straws and hello to paper straws and plant-based cups. Starting in 2021, we will put our plant-based alternatives to yoghurt in paper cups.
Calling upon all actors in the recycling industry
For packs to be recyclable they need to fulfil three criteria. They have to be designed for recycling, be made of recyclable materials and the right recycling stream has to be in place. We’re working hard on the first two, designing our packaging to be recyclable, eliminating plastic where we can and using recycled design PET for other packaging. The last one depends on local factors, but when a big brand takes a step towards more sustainable options, things start to move. It creates demand. By using more and more recycled materials, Alpro is encouraging the recycling industry to expand, which benefits the whole system. For more on Alpro’s packs, click here: https://www.alpro.com/uk/betterpacks/