UPM Specialty Papers has developed paper packaging for Fazer’s Oat Rice Pies, based on its UPM Confidio barrier paper, which is heat-sealable, explained to not compromise the protection of the product inside.
Traditional plastic laminated packaging paper has been replaced with a paper option, following two years of development work in line with both Fazer’s Sustainable Packaging Vision and UPM’s Biofore strategy.
Piia Soininen-Tengvall, Fazer’s director of packaging development, said, ‘Each partner brings valuable expertise to the development work. This project combined Fazer’s expertise in food production and the production process while also ensuring food safety, with UPM Specialty Papers’ expertise in developing demanding specialty papers. The packaging solution works on our existing packaging process and achieves all this by reducing fossil-based materials.’
The UPM Confidio packaging paper, developed in cooperation between the UPM Jämsänkoski mill and the UPM Research Centre in Lappeenranta, has both barrier and heat-seal properties incorporated without a separate layer of plastic lamination. The barrier properties are designed to protect the product inside the package until the best-before date.
In the recyclability test, the recycling reject of unprinted UPM Confidio paper is said to be about one percent, which means that about 99 percent of the paper can be used to create new, recycled products. The recycling reject of plastic-coated paper packaging is claimed to be significantly higher.
Susanna Hyrkäs, senior manager of sustainability at UPM Specialty Papers, commented, ‘Today, more than 80 percent of the fibre-based packaging material used in Europe is recycled. Our product development is always based on the premise of ensuring recyclability, in addition to ensuring product safety and the required functional properties.’
