In 2018, we started to restructure our packaging portfolio innovation strategy around a vision of the ideal beverage carton package. This ‘ideal carton’ is made solely from renewable and/or recycled packaging materials, it is 100% recyclable, and it fits into a low carbon circular economy without ever compromising food safety requirements. Creating this ideal package will require significant innovation and development, and we are already working hard to deliver it.
Renewable resources are natural materials that grow back, such as wood and sugar cane. Using these and managing them responsibly differentiates us in the market and protects our planet.
On average more than 70 percent of a Tetra Pak carton by weight is paperboard and one of our priorities is sourcing sustainable timber. All our paperboard is sourced from Forest Stewardship Council™ (FSC™) certified forests and other controlled sources.
We invest time and resources into finding the best sustainable alternatives across all our businesses. In packaging we are increasing the renewable content of our packages by, for example replacing fossil-fuel based materials with bio-based polymers derived from sugar cane. We also continue to expand the bio-based caps and laminate coatings offerings to further reduce our carbon footprint.
As part of our commitment to reduce our use of plastic across our portfolio, replacing it with renewable alternatives, we recently announced our ambition to launch a paper straw in 2019 that meets global demand by 2025, and we quintupled our investment in converting all plastic straws to paper in the longer term