Environmentally Friendly Frozen Food Packaging: New Options for Producers

A major factor contributing to the return of frozen food is the desire to reduce food waste – an estimated 50% of all fresh produce in the US ends up in the trash, or at best, in the compost.

The environmental benefits of buying frozen food, of course, are offset somewhat when plastic food packaging ends up in a landfill. Fortunately, advances in flexible packaging technology have opened up some new eco-friendly packaging options for frozen food manufacturers.

TRADITIONAL PACKAGING FROZEN

Older forms of deep-frozen packaging are not environmentally friendly; they are often made up of various materials that end up in landfills. Bag boxes, pillow packs, or rigid bowls are only partially or not recyclable. Bulkier forms of freezer packs also take up more space in transit and require more fuel to move from the factory to the warehouse to the grocery store shelf.

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY FROZEN PACKAGING: PUT ON THE STAND BAG 

Stand-up bags have several advantages over conventional frozen food packaging. They make better use of available retail space by featuring a much larger, customer-centric graphic panel and are much lighter than traditional rigid packaging, making them easier and cheaper to transport.

Stand-up bags also require less film than other packaging bags. This helps reduce the overall environmental impact of the product.

Still, many types of vertical bags end up in the landfill because laminated packaging is made from multiple substrates, some of which are not recyclable. Separating these layers is not practical, so the whole package is thrown away.

RECYCLABLE FROZEN CONTAINERS

Recyclable frozen Packaging pioneered the development of truly recyclable frozen food packaging with the introduction of SmartPack ™. This sustainable option offers the superior look and performance of a traditional laminate but uses innovative energy cure technology to reduce the amount of film required to make the package. SmartPack ™ has a recyclability rating No. 2, making it fully recyclable in most North American communities.

BIODEGRADABLE FROZEN PACKAGING

Frozen Packaging took another step forward in the eco-friendly packaging of frozen foods. This innovative sustainable packaging option is fully biodegradable, so customers can dispose of it with household waste. Manufacturers love that it is completely stable in storage and only degrades in an active landfill environment, giving them the barrier control they need to be successful with frozen foods and protect their customers.

COMMUNICATING THE SUSTAINABLE MESSAGE WITH FROZEN CONTAINERS

Although not all consumers of frozen foods are primarily motivated by sustainability, many, and many more, are only aware of the ecological aspects of frozen foods when the message is effectively conveyed through their packaging. 66% of consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable products. So if you shared this environmental awareness message with HD graphics, your brand could make more money in a growing market.

Our organic frozen food packaging options use the latest technology developed and designed by our innovation department and never sacrifice quality or safety to meet sustainability goals.

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