February 24, 2023
(press release)
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A MAJOR UK supermarket has announced it is moving its mince from plastic-trays to vacuum packs, in a move it says will remove 450 tonnes of plastic a year… Well Sirane can offer Sainsbury’s and any other store a way of going one better – by using our RePEat vacuum pack film, which can also be recycled. In a move which has been described as a first for UK retailers, Sainsbury’s said the change will be made across all Sainsbury’s-branded beef mince products. The new packaging, available now, will result in a minimum 55% reduction in plastic per product. It also offered a more compact pack size for the same weight than Sainsbury’s previous packaging formats, thereby also saving shelf space. Additionally, the vacuum format will preserve freshness by removing all oxygen. “We strive to be bold in the changes we are making, which is why we’re pleased to be the first UK retailer to vacuum pack all our beef mince range without impacting the quantity or great quality of product our customers expect,” said Claire Hughes, director of product and innovation at Sainsbury’s. Sirane’s RePEat films and pouches are made from pure PE (polyethylene) – including any zip-lock – and so can be recycled anywhere with an LDPE recycling stream – which includes the soft-plastics recycling stream any many supermarkets. These mono-material packs offer a range of different barriers – meaning RePEat films can be used for vacuum packing, frozen food, packaging which requires a high barrier and liquids. It is also suitable for non-food, where no barrier is required. Simon Balderson, Sirane MD, said: “RePEat film is a plastic film, but one which can be recycled. Traditionally, this sort of packaging cannot be recycled, because of the multiple laminate layers, but with RePEat film it can be easily recycled. “Whether it is for a non-food application requiring no barrier, for frozen food, or for ambient-temperature food requiring excellent barrier properties to keep it fresh, RePEat film has a range of options, making it definitely one to consider. “Our RePEat F2F3 material is a recyclable material ideal for vacuum packaging. “While Sainsbury’s move to vacuum packs is a move in the right direction, removing large amounts of plastic annually, this could be a more significant step forward if the vacuum packs used were recyclable, and this packaging is available. “Sainsbury’s has become the first to announce the move to vacuum packs, but which supermarket will be the first to announce their move to recyclable vacuum packs?” Sirane is an innovative food packaging development-to-manufacture company, with expertise in absorbency and material science. Specialisms include bags and pouches, absorbent products, shelf-life extension and dual-ovenable products. The company has four main divisions: medical & healthcare (including lab services & supplies); food packaging, horticultural and industrial. The company is based in Telford (UK) with additional manufacturing in Mexico, Czech Republic and the US. For more information, email sales@sirane.com or call +44 1952 230055.
We also recently acquired a UK-based board manufacturer and converter.
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