Mondi, a specialist in sustainable packaging and paper, has collaborated with Scan Sverige to create a polypropylene (PP) based mono-material packaging, that is designed for recycling.
HKScan Sweden, having over a century experience in Swedish food production, has used Mondi’s WalletPack for its Pärsons brand’s range of sliced ham, salami, and plant-based products, since March 2024.
Mondi’s WalletPack is a PP based solution which is designed for recyclability. Mondi explained that WalletPack can be effectively sorted by Site Zero, Europe’s largest and most advanced plastic recycling facility located in Sweden and is thereby contributing to a circular economy. It replaces the previous option, which was an unrecyclable multi-material pack that consisted of PET-PE and PA-PE laminates.
Featuring a top and bottom film, Mondi’s WalletPack’s peel mechanism is said to ensure consumer convenience. Created with a protective high oxygen barrier for a longer shelf-life in combination with inside print, it also offers good printability to communicate the brand and product messages.
Helene Brynell, regional sales Nordic, consumer flexibles, Mondi, commented, ‘Throughout the trial process, we were both focusing on the same clear goals: to best protect the food while developing packaging that could deliver from a sustainability standpoint, being designed for recycling.’
Einar Ahlstrom, material specialist at NPA explained, ‘Multi-layer laminates, such as PET/PE and PA/PE, are commonly used in diverse flexible plastic packaging, limiting the potential for material recycling. To enhance and facilitate more efficient material recycling, there is a need to shift towards using mono-material in plastic packaging. It is encouraging to note that Scan Sverige has introduced a novel packaging solution for Pärsons, in collaboration with Mondi. This alternative not only replaces traditional multi-layer laminates but also proves to be more conducive to material recycling.’
Scan Sverige and Mondi initiated discussions about the recently introduced mono-material packaging two years ago. With defined goals set out from the start, the two organisations collaborated closely throughout the process to efficiently and thoroughly develop the WalletPack solution for Pärsons.
Eva Tiedman, category manager at Scan Sverige, concluded, ‘We knew Mondi was the right partner to achieve our goals and are delighted to see the new solution running efficiently on our existing machinery. Our objective was to follow a forward-thinking approach to packaging sustainability as we are investing in getting 100% recyclable packaging by the end of 2025 and working hard to change to recyclable mono-materials.’
