Elopak has unveiled a new film examining the role of beverage cartons in providing a more sustainable future for the packaging industry. The film has been made for Elopak as part of a series presented by FoodDrinkEurope and produced by BBC Storyworks Commercial Productions called Food for Thought. The series highlights sustainable innovations in the food and drink industry that offer fresh solutions to feed the next generation.
Elopak’s film examines how cartons can provide a natural and sustainable alternative to plastic bottles. It spotlights one of the company’s most popular innovations, the Pure-Pak® carton made with Natural Brown Board. These cartons are manufactured with unbleached paper fibres, leading to a reduced carbon footprint since unbleached fibres are stronger and so less material is needed to produce the paper board.
Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) studies have repeatedly demonstrated Elopak cartons’ environmental benefits when compared to other types of packaging for liquid food[1]. For example, an LCA study in 2021 showed that cartons have a 60% smaller carbon footprint than a PET bottle. This figure increases to 73% for beverage cartons made with Natural Brown Board[2].
The film showcases Elopak’s commitment to leading the plastic to carton conversion, offering consumers a natural alternative to plastic packaging that aims to leave the product unchanged and the planet unharmed.
Speaking in the film, Håvard Grande Urhamar, Senior Manager Board Development at Elopak said: “If you do something you should do it right and we know our product is the most sustainable option compared to plastic.”
The mini documentary also features Elopak’s customer Rørosmeieriet, a renowned organic dairy in Norway that offers high quality, sustainably sourced traditional products. Rørosmeieriet was the first Norwegian Elopak customer to choose Pure-Pak® cartons made with Natural Brown Board, making them an ideal collaborator for the mini-documentary.
Trond Wilhelm Lund, CEO of Rørosmeieriet, says that his company and Elopak have a shared vision for sustainability. “We want to develop Rørosmeieriet every day in harmony with nature… So when Elopak wants to take steps in the right direction, Rørosmeieriet wants to be a part of that,” he explains in a piece to camera.
The film is available to view on the Elopak website or at BBC Storyworks’ dedicated 'Food for Thought' series page.
For more information, go to elopak.com or follow us @Pure_Pak on Twitter and @Elopak on LinkedIn.
[1] The European Commission concluded that Life Cycle Assessments provide the best framework for assessing the potential environmental impacts of products currently available. https://ec.europa.eu/environment/ipp/lca.htm#:~:text=The%20European%20Commission%E2%80%99s%20project%20The%20European%20Platform%20of,by%20focusing%20on%20underlying%20data%20and%20methodological%20needs.
[2] https://www.elopak.com/app/uploads/2021/11/LCA-summary.pdf