Tetra Pak chooses paper-based over polymer-based barrier

As climate change and global food systems call for low-carbon renewable materials, the carton packaging industry seeks alternatives to the aluminium foil layer that helps us to keep food safe and available everywhere. Many solutions are based on polymer barriers in the package, but we have chosen paper over plastic. Rather than increasing the carbon footprint of a package, paper allows us to reduce it. Also, when combined with plant-based polymers, the paper-based barrier increases the total renewable content of a carton to 90% – cutting the carbon footprint by one-third.1

Like all Tetra Pak paperboard, the paper used in our new barrier is sourced from FSC™-certified forests and other controlled sources. The paper-based barrier features an ultra-thin, nanometre metalised coating. Together with other layers in the packaging it protects against oxygen, light, moisture and bacteria. In this way food safety is not compromised and shelf-life is comparable to that of the aluminium foil layer.

The power of paper to protect

Scoring high on renewability, recyclability, and low carbon footprint, paperboard is now seen as the most environmentally sound material for beverage packaging2. It has a low weight, and yet it has the strength, rigidity and robustness to protect aseptic products throughout their extended life cycles. Of course, Tetra Pak has always believed in the power of paper. The high share of paperboard in our cartons today is what gives them a lower carbon footprint than other packaging options3 in the dairy and JNSD segments. And the paper-based barrier takes that even further – pushing the average of 70% paper content to approximately 80%. This alone is a major step towards our fully renewable aseptic carton package ambition.

Up to 80% paper content
Up to 90% renewable content
Up to 33% co2 reduction

Step inside this collaborative journey

Discover the challenges behind this project and how it has been turned into reality through expert collaboration with our customer Lactogal, in Portugal. A story which has led to the launch of the Tetra Brik® Aseptic 200 Slim Leaf carton with a paper-based barrier – a first within food carton packages distributed under ambient conditions.

Step inside this collaborative journey

Discover the challenges behind this project and how it has been turned into reality through expert collaboration with our customer Lactogal, in Portugal. A story which has led to the launch of the Tetra Brik® Aseptic 200 Slim Leaf carton with a paper-based barrier – a first within food carton packages distributed under ambient conditions.

Numbers validated by 25 million packages

An external validation of the innovative paper-based barrier involving 25 million Tetra Brik® Aseptic 200 Slim Leaf packages was carried out together with Portugese dairy producer Lactogal. The carton package was made using the paper-based barrier and plant-based polymers. With paper content increased to approximately 80% the total renewable content of the Tetra Brik® Aseptic 200 Slim Leaf reached 90%. As a result, the carbon footprint of the package was reduced by 33%1. And critically, the safety and shelf-life of the flavoured milk product was reliably maintained.

Resource efficiency award for paper-based barrier innovation

A world’s first in the carton packaging industry, this innovation advances the shift from high-carbon, fossil-based materials to low-carbon renewable materials. Together with the progress being made with plant-based polymers, this new material plays a major role in achieving our long-term ambition to deliver the world's most sustainable food package4.

Good news for recyclers

More benefits of a paper-based barrier are expected further downstream where efficient recycling depends on the yield of paper fibre. Specifically, cartons with a higher fibre yield are more attractive to paper mills. What’s more, the paper-based barrier changes the material structure of the carton from three to just two main materials – paper and polymers. This represents an opportunity for recycling infrastructures and their efficiency.

The role of paper in tomorrow's low-carbon circular economy

Explore some of the backstory to paper-based barrier in this article that examines the industry-wide paperisation trend through the lens of a sustainable future for aseptic packaging.

The combined science of food safety and material innovation

Discover what’s going on behind the scenes to ensure the meticulous safety of food as more sustainable material technology is being developed. In this article food safety experts at Tetra Pak’s Scientific and Regulatory Affairs Centre in Stuttgart, Germany unpack some of these challenges – including the paper-based barrier.

Woman and man in science lab

Materials science in the making with Lund University

Dive deep into the collaborative science of developing a new packaging material with Professors Rajni Hatti-Kaul and Stephen Hall from Lund University, together with Joakim Tuvesson, Vice President of Materials and Packaging at Tetra Pak. This article reveals some of the exciting technologies being used and the thinking behind them.

Securing our food systems in tomorrow’s low-carbon circular economy

As the global population increases and the impacts of climate change intensify, securing the future of our food systems has never been more critical. Research and results demonstrate that the paper-based barrier can pave the way towards fully renewable and recyclable packaging – essential for tomorrow’s low-carbon circular economy. If you believe in the power of paper to safeguard food and the planet, join us on this innovation journey.

Follow #ThePowerOfPaperToProtect on social media.

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1 Source: Carbon Trust™- verified Tetra Pak ‘Carton CO2 Calculator’ model version 9 (valid from 2023-01-01). Scope: cradle-to-grave measurement of a Tetra Brik® Aseptic 200 Slim Leaf carton with plant-based polymers in coating and paper-based barrier compared to a standard Tetra Brik® Aseptic 200 Slim Leaf package. Geography: EU Industry data.

2 Source: Sustainable Packaging Consumer Research 2023, Tetra Pak’s latest environmental survey, run in summer 2023 and comprising a total of 14,500 consumer interviews based on an online questionnaire in 29 markets: Germany, France, UK, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, South Africa, Egypt, China, India, Japan, Australia, Indonesia, Philippines, South Korea, Vietnam, Brazil, USA, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina.

3 Source: ifeu 2020, “Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Tetra Pak® carton packages and alternative packaging systems for beverages and liquid food on the European market."

4 Paper-based, with the lowest possible carbon footprint, made solely from responsibly sourced renewable or recycled materials, and fully recyclable. This means creating cartons that are fully made of renewable or recycled materials, that are responsibly sourced, thereby helping to protect and restore our planet's climate, resources and biodiversity; contributing towards low carbon production and distribution; are convenient and safe, therefore helping to enable a resilient food system; and are fully recyclable.