Fiber-Based Vegetable Packaging

DS Smith, part of International Paper, has partnered with Romanian agricultural cooperative Serele SupeR to significantly reduce plastic use in produce packaging. The initiative will replace around 10 million single-use plastic packs with recyclable, fibre-based alternatives made from FSC®-certified materials.

DS Smith’s design team reviewed the cooperative’s existing packaging for fresh tomatoes and developed four new corrugated cardboard punnet designs. These updated containers are fully recyclable and are designed to streamline operations, allowing for quicker and more efficient packing on production lines.

"[...] We have managed to significantly reduce plastic use, lower emissions, and support Serele SupeR in their sustainability targets. The new designs demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of sustainable packaging to the wider horticultural sector in Romania, and so perhaps other fresh produce producers will start to see this approach as the new norm. [...]”

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