Change of standards

On 30 November 2022, the European Commission published a proposal to amend the EU rules on packaging and packaging waste.

What is most important in the proposal for the food supplements industry is the intention of the Commission, to ensure that all packaging is reusable or recyclable in an economically feasible way by 2030 and to reduce excessive packaging and thus packaging waste.

Sounds like a challenge, doesn't it? Especially since it is well known that for many years the priority for the company was the safety and stability of the product, while the environmental aspect was overlooked. Et, en connexion avec le plan de operation dans l'économie, il est plus sensible à preparer pour les changes à venir.

However, with the utmost respect for our mother nature, companies must also think about their future. It is impossible not to notice that consumers today have a huge impact on how companies function. According to Ipsos, 85% of consumers consider sustainability aspects when making purchasing decisions. This is especially true for Gen Z and millennials. They want to know what materials are used in production and how they were obtained. We cannot overlook the fact that there are around 102 million millennials (22% of the EU population) and around 80 million Gen Zers (18%) living in the EU, who constitute a huge purchasing power.

Requiesta Matrix

So, how to ensure compliance:

• rules on food safety and stability
• environmental protection regulations,
• la richiesta di consumatori
• and at the same time it is really responsible for the environment, why is it what you want as a company and not for what is necessary?

How to start?

Of course, you have to determine how much of the product is harmed to the environment. In the case of dietary supplements, these are blisters and sachets - not recyclable, reusable, but so loved and ensuring the safety of the product. Can they be replaced? Yes! Can we have both - a safe and environmentally friendly solution? Yes! Is it relevant? Yes!

Monoblister - what is it made of?

Environmentally friendly blisters, also called monoblasts, are made of polyester (PE) or polypropylene (PP) and cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) in the thermoformable part. Standard blisters are made in this part of PVC or PVC/PVDC. The lid in monoblasts is made of polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) instead of the aluminum used so far.

A standard PVC blister must be classified as “Other” in terms of waste management so that it is not recyclable. Monoblasts are made from the same or very similar polymers, which makes them recyclable and can be safely disposed of as plastic that can be recycled again.

As for the safety of the product, monoblisters must be properly selected for the specific forms of the product. It is recommended to conduct a stability study of the product. Albeit this may look like a potential risk, it is still just a potential risk.

Monosachets - an excellent option for powders

Another option to consider is polypropylene (PP) laminates for pouches. As monoblasts, they are also recyclable and offer high barrier properties. The laminates utilised so far consist of multiple layers, usually containing PE, PET and aluminium, and sometimes also paper. They are inseparable and therefore cannot be recycled.

Financial aspects

It's just that it's on the horizon until 2030, so on to new monomaterials, sustainable.

AND,. It should also be borne in mind that many countries in Europe have already implemented or are working on new taxes on packaging that cannot be recycled. That is, it is not necessary if it is.

All in all, if you really want to, there are ways to make your supplement business more sustainable in practice. There is no longer any need to disappoint customers with eco-friendly ideas. It's time to act.

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