• Clinique iD by The Estée Lauder Companies—for Best of Show.

• O-I : EXPRESSIONS—for Design Excellence.

• Krylon Industrial Quik-Tap Aerosol by Sherwin-Williams—for Sustainable Packaging.

(Click here to view all 23 winners in the 2019 AmeriStar Awards, along with the four student award winners.)

Here are exclusive details on each of these three top winners.

Best of Show: Clinique iD by The Estée Lauder Companies

Clinique, a brand of The Estée Lauder Companies, took home the Best of Show award for its dual-pump Clinique iD package. The packaging concept enables consumers to combine a hydration base product with a specialty booster serum and dispense both formulas with one press of the actuator.

The base product is filled into a bottle that is similar to the iconic Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion (DDML) container in proportions and shape. The Clinique iD bottle’s mouth is larger, however, to accommodate the insertion of a tube-shaped cartridge containing booster serum.

The consumer removes the closure from the Clinique iD base bottle and screws the serum cartridge into the bottle. The cartridge houses the dual-pump mechanism, which includes a dip tube for dispensing the hydration base.

Consumers have a choice of three Clinique Dramatically Different base products, and five serums in color-coded cartridges; the various serums address skin issues such as lines and wrinkles, uneven skin tone and fatigue. In all, 18 Clinique iD combinations are possible.

The dual pump dispenses different doses of the two products (base and serum), for optimal mixing at the time of use. “It is unique to have a dual-chambered pump with different dosages,” says Bob Crescas, executive director, Clinique skincare packaging. “The lotion is 230 microliter, and the serum booster is 30mcl.”

He add that the “pump design is very tight and compact, meeting the goal of keeping the overall package in proportion to existing DDML [stock-keeping units]. The dual-pump/bottle package solves the problem of getting two formulas with one push of the actuator, boosting hydration and addressing individual skin concerns.”

The brand owner also redesigned the secondary packaging for Clinique iD products, to boost on-shelf appeal. DDML cartons have historically been green, but the Clinique iD cartons are white with a four-color process image of the hydration-base bottle or the brightly colored serum cartridge.

The Clinique iD bottles and cartridges are recyclable; the cartons, which are made from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) paperboard, may be recycled or composted.

“The most challenging part of commercialization was managing a global supply chain,” Crescas notes. “We are a global company, so it was not a new challenge; however, we sourced components from three continents, bringing them all together to our final manufacturing plants both in New York and London. We had a whole team of people in Korea, Europe and the U.S. working to make this launch a success.”

NEXT: O-I’s Design Excellence Award

Design Excellence: O-I : EXPRESSIONS

This year’s Design Excellence Award honors Owens-Illinois Inc. for O-I : EXPRESSIONS, a technique that uses direct-to-glass digital printing to decorate bottles. The O-I : EXPRESSIONS RELIEF version of the technology takes the concept a step further, creating tactile effects on glass packaging.

O-I : EXPRESSIONS, which is positioned as a late-stage packaging design option, offers the benefits of flexible production volumes and nimble response to market demands. The technology is also environmentally friendly, using organic inks that do not hinder the glass package’s recyclability. Packagers’ ability to maintain smaller inventories also helps reduce packaging waste.

“In my opinion, the premium version of O-I : EXPRESSIONS, called O-I : EXPRESSIONS RELIEF—named after the sculptural technique—is the most innovative feature of our personalization service offering,” says Yolanda Fernandez, marketing communication specialist, O-I Europe Sàrl.

She explains that the digital/relief technology “takes brands a step beyond what was previously thought possible in terms of customization and premiumization,” via customized three-dimensional printed effects such as embossing and colored embossing.

“This will enable brands to interact with consumers through the sense of touch. This is the feature that is generating the most ‘wow’ responses from customers, not only because of how it looks, but because it really opens up new opportunities for smaller volumes,” Fernandez adds. Those smaller runs may include limited-time package designs, seasonal packaging and promotional bottles.

“In our opinion, digital printing should not be seen as a solution that will replace existing offerings and solutions, but rather it offers new opportunities for personalizing glass packaging and transforming packaging design through late-stage differentiation,” Fernandez says. “Our O-I : EXPRESSIONS service transforms a bottle into a canvas with speed and ease and helps brands create consumer experiences.”

NEXT: Finally, Sherwin-Williams’ Sustainable Packaging Award

Sustainable Packaging: Krylon Industrial Quik-Tap Aerosol by Sherwin-Williams

Sherwin-Williams won the Sustainable Packaging Award for its Krylon Industrial Quik-Tap paint package, which is an aerosol package design in which the valve and actuator are separate from the aerosol can.

The concept pairs aerosol cans with the reusable Quik-Tap tool. The user screws this device onto a Quik-Tap can, puncturing the sealed can and enabling the paint to flow to the valve and actuator for spraying.

Sherwin-Williams developed the package for a customer that uses spray paint for underground-utility identification. Technicians mark the ground above buried utility lines so contractors and others don’t accidentally damage the lines when digging.

Environmental benefits of the Krylon Industrial Quik-Tap design include hazardous-waste reduction and improved recyclability. Disposal of conventional aerosol paint cans typically requires diversion to a hazardous-waste stream, as the used cans remain sealed and pressurized, and they often still contain liquid paint.

In contrast, a spent Quik-Tap can—which is no longer sealed or pressurized after the Quik-Tap tool is unscrewed—may be recycled or disposed of with regular, non-hazardous waste.

The Quik-Tap packaging also produces less packaging waste than conventional aerosol paint cans, because the cans do not contain actuators or valves. The cans don’t need a protective overcap, either, because they can’t accidentally spray during shipping and handling.

Quik-Tap cans offer cost savings for users, as well. Sherwin-Williams reports that its ground-marking/utilities-locating customers use several million aerosol cans of paint each year. With conventional aerosol cans, this has required industrial users to pay for hazardous-materials dumpsters for can disposal. The new package design eliminates that expense.

Users find their paint going further with the Quik-Tap design, as well, because the package provides maximum evacuation of the product. After the residue remaining inside the used cans has dried, they are ready for recycling or trash.

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MinnPack 2019 (Oct. 23-24; Minneapolis) is where serious packaging professionals find technologies, education and connections needed to thrive in today’s advanced manufacturing community. See solutions in labeling, food packaging, package design and beyond. Attend free expert-led sessions at multiple theaters around the expo. Register to attend today!

Needle-Trap labels incorporate a plastic component that secures the syringe’s needle after an injection. B. Braun believes the package, which launched in the United States in April 2019, is the first prefilled heparin syringe with integrated needle protection to gain U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval.

Schreiner MediPharm reports that Needle-Trap also complies with the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) requirements for safe instruments. The labeling system is used outside the United States, as well.

Gene Dul, U.S. president for Schreiner MediPharm, answers a few questions about Needle-Trap’s features and benefits.

When and where did Needle-Trap launch?

Dul: Needle-Trap was launched in some European Union (EU) countries starting in 2009 and has since then been widely used on an international scale.

What medications is it used for?

Dul: More than 820 million units have been produced since its market launch in 2009. Needle-Trap is used for medications such as heparins, vaccines or biosimilars (such as epoetin).

What benefits does Needle-Trap offer healthcare workers and/or patients, in addition to eliminating needlestick injuries?

Dul: Needle-Trap offers additional benefits to end users, since it is easy and intuitive to use. View of the needle is unobstructed, enabling the user to retain full control of the injection process. The content of the syringe, the graduation or air bubbles can be easily detected. The protection mechanism is activated in a controlled manner, using one hand, and with an irreversible and clearly noticeable effect.

Due to its compact design, Needle-Trap does not need a lot of space when it comes to transport, storage and disposal.

Additional functions may be integrated in the Needle-Trap label to further enhance patient and product safety. For instance, detachable label parts for efficient documentation and tracing of the medication in the medical records, graduation for safe dosing or security features for counterfeiting protection.

Who administers Needle-Trap Heparin Sodium injections to patients? Are they always administered in a healthcare setting?

Dul: Needle-Trap heparin injections are typically administered in a healthcare setting but can also be administered by patients themselves, following instructions from their healthcare provider.

How does the healthcare professional or patient dispose of a used Needle-Trap? Is there language on the Needle-Trap label explaining proper disposal?

Dul: Used prefilled syringes with the activated Needle-Trap should be put in an FDA-cleared sharps-disposal container. Detailed instructions on proper disposal can usually be found on the leaflets that come with the outer packaging, as well as online.

Are filling-line modifications or new equipment required to fill medication into Needle-Trap syringes?

Dul: The normal filling process of the syringes is not affected by Needle-Trap, since it is a label-integrated safety device. The plastic needle catcher is an integral part of the label. After the filling process, the Needle-Trap label is applied to the prefilled syringes on conventional dispensing machines, requiring only minor modifications.

Medtech’s brightest and most innovative developers recently attended the premier awards ceremony for the industry. Winners accepted their awards on Tues., June 11, in New York during the MD&M East event, which is co-located with EastPack. Both events are owned by Informa, the parent company of Packaging Digest and MD+DI publications.

The MDEAs accept entries from companies and individuals involved in the design, engineering, manufacturing, or distribution of finished medical devices. Jurors—made up of clinicians, engineers and designers—carefully review entries and select up to six finalists in each category. They then vote whether to award a bronze, silver and gold award in each category, as well as select an overall best-in-show winner.

Entries in the Drug-Delivery and Combination Products category can include packages such as prefilled syringes, misting devices, dry powder inhalers, patches, pouches or combination implants with biologic agents.

Of the five finalists in the Drug-Delivery and Combination Products category, the 2019 winners are:

Bronze: Eluvia Drug Eluting Vascular Stent from Boston Scientific Corp.

The Eluvia Drug-Eluting Vascular Stent System is the first and only drug-eluting technology designed to sustain drug release beyond a year to deliver drug therapy when restenosis (the recurrence of abnormal narrowing of an artery or valve after corrective surgery) is most likely to occur in the superficial femoral artery (the main artery of the leg).

Silver: clEARdropper from AJB LLC

clEARdropper is the first over-the-counter ear drug-delivery device, solving the problems of accurate ear drug dosing, waste and self-administration with a simple, waste-eliminating, cost-reducing design that addresses the delivery challenges and unique anatomy of the ear.

Supply and Design Credits: Rubber Industries Inc.

Gold: Bydureon BCise from AstraZeneca

Bydureon BCise is a fixed-dose autoinjector for convenient dose preparation (re-suspension) and self-injection by patients with Type 2 diabetes. It is the first cartridge-based autoinjector. Needle and cartridge form a fluid path only immediately before administration. The users were fundamental in determining the appropriate device activation mechanism, the form factors and device feedback.

Supply and Design Credits: SHL Medical AG

Learn about successful strategic partnerships, co-branding and dynamic food duos that are yielding some super snack combos in our fun interactive game, which debuted at EastPack 2019 in New York City mid-June. If you missed it in the Big Apple, here’s another chance to play with your food! Find which popular snacks have joined forces to delight today’s snackers by matching two products together.

Other high-level takeaways:

Sustainability continues to grow. Around 85% say they've made at least one significant change to packaging substrate material, most frequently because it increased ease of recycling. Brand owners expect the value of packaging containing biodegradable, recycled or compostable material to grow by 30% to 40% in the next two years.

Convenience is top of mind. 57% of brand owners say they'll develop packaging that's easier to open, 51% say they'll develop more single-serve packages and 49% will step up placements in new distribution channels, like convenience stores.

Ecommerce expansion. As more and more consumers choose to shop online, brand owners are turning to a variety of strategies that involve packaging. 55% say they’ve entered new digital channels, 47% have implemented mobile on-demand ordering and 47% have increased investment in their websites. CPGs will need to make changes to packaging to protect against breakage, maintain freshness during delivery and keep a consistent look and feel across multiple channels.

Premium products will play a larger role. 42% of brand owners say they're planning on expanding their premium offerings and 35% are changing their promotional strategies—and packaging is usually central to the marketing of premium offerings.

 “CPG brand owners recognize consumers want more convenience, and companies are looking to packaging to help provide it,” says Thilo Henkes, Managing Director at L.E.K. Consulting and coauthor of the 2019 Brand Owner Packaging Study. “This will entail some major changes to packaging, and CPGs are responding and investing.”

“All indications are that brand owners consider ongoing investment in packaging to be critical to their brand’s success,” says Jeff Cloetingh, Managing Director at L.E.K. and report coauthor. “By conveying both valuable attributes and a potent brand message, packaging continues to have the unique capacity to make products stand out in a crowded marketplace.

Several exclusive questions about the report results were answered by Cloetingh for the Packaging Digest audience.

What was the biggest surprise?

Cloetingh: While it’s no surprise that brand owners are increasing the pace of new product introduction in the form of new stock-keeping units (SKUs), we were amazed by the reported magnitude of the trend. Brand owners say they plan to launch an average of 91 SKUs over the next two years, compared with only 64 two years ago—an increase of 42%.

When we take a step back and look at the six key themes that emerged from the study—convenience, premiumization, customization, healthy, green, e-commerce—it struck us that each of these key themes directly played a role in SKU proliferation.

The 10% spend increase: is that lift solely for value-added materials as incremental growth or are there other factors as well?

Cloetingh: The 10% spending increase is inclusive of all potential drivers of packaging spend, including

a) increasing number of packaging components (e.g., adding secondary carton);

b) shift towards more premium packaging components (e.g., upgraded decoration such as adding metalizing features to the container),

c) shift towards higher-value substrates (e.g., incorporating premium-priced recycled resin into the raw material formulation), and

d) like-for-like pricing increases.  

The increase into the C-store market is of interest—why was that channel singled out as “placement for new distribution”?

Cloetingh: Brand owners indicated the “on-the-go” consumer trend has been a major growth driver for their products. Increasing placement in “on-the-go” channels was reported to be the number three most relevant brand actions taken to benefit from this trend behind easy-open packaging functionality and single-serve packaging size innovations.

In addition to the channel, there are increasingly additional merchandising opportunities or placements within the channel that cater more towards the on-the-go consumer.

For example, foodservice channels (e.g., Starbucks’ in-line floor stands) and retail grocery/dollar/value channels (e.g., point-of-purchase sections of the store) are additional targets for brand owners seeking “placement” to drive growth through an “on-the-go” strategy. While C-stores are also an example of where consumers are looking for “on-the-go” products that are single-serve and easy to open, we interpret this as a combination of channel and placement within the store.

What advice do you have for brands?

Cloetingh: When packaging choices are made with full context of macro and micro consumer trends, packaging can be a critical tool to win on the shelf through differentiating the product, capturing the eye of the consumer, and driving value creation for the brand.

For more information, see L.E.K Consulting’s 2019 Brand Owner Packaging Study.

Visit the website at L.E.K. Consulting

1. GoT cookie send-off

To celebrate the final season/episode of the widely popular HBO series, Oreo’s created a special limited-edition package that dons “Game of Thrones” branding. The black package displays a sole Oreo cookie superimposed on the show’s Iron Throne, accurately reflecting the spirits of both brands.

NEXT: Caffinated gummies

2. Caffinated gummies

This sweet snack plays on the popularity of cold-brew coffees for a quick pick-me-up anytime of the day or night. Mini drink cups with faux straws hold sealed bags of gummie bears infused with signature coffee blends from Alfred’s, a chain of coffee shops. Padded labels complete the authentic look.

NEXT: Stay-fresh protein bites

3. Stay-fresh protein bites

Matte lidding film provides a great flat billboard for sausage bites from Old Wisconsin as the package sits or hangs during store merchandising. Perfs on the shelf-stable flexible pack make it easy to open; a zipper makes it easy to reseal.

NEXT: High-end flavored tuna

4. High-end flavored tuna

Who needs bread to enjoy great tuna from Chicken of the Sea! This portable cup has a fork molded into its lid and a tuna-shaped window on the front label (as well as a clear bottom) so consumers can easily see the quality of this unique protein snack.

NEXT: Portable, pop-able peanut butter

5. Portable, pop-able peanut butter

Creating a portable snack from sticky, spreadable peanut butter takes a little ingenuity! Skippy does it by wrapping real Skippy peanut butter around pretzel bites and packing them in a reclosable cup that fits perfectly in car cup holders.

NEXT: Kid-friendly yogurt crunch

6. Kid-friendly yogurt crunch

With its new Gimmies product line, Chobani takes a cue from the cottage cheese category with a flip-able two-bowl pack that lets kids mix up their own tasty Rainbow Sprinkle Cone yogurt crunch for a quasi-healthy snack they can “make” themselves.

NEXT: Differentiated granola bites

7. Differentiated granola bites

Amid the boxy aisle of granola bars, the new Nature Valley Granola Bites line from General Mills stands out in a matte-finish, reclosable, Doyen-style pouch that competes well with a gently curved front-panel billboard. Snackers can treat themselves to a little bite of goodness to “Satisfy your sweet craving with a perfectly portioned bite.”

NEXT: Granola bites shine

8. Granola bites shine

Also jumping into the new category of pop-able granola bites, Quaker opts for a shiny Doyen-style reclosable pouch that is nearly identical in size to its Nature Valley competitor. Interestingly, Quaker also chooses to promote the pouch’s easy-open tear feature rather than its reclosable zipper.

NEXT: Goldfish line extension

9. Goldfish line extension

How do you distinguish a new line extension in an already extensive flavor field? For its new Grahams products, Pepperidge Farm uses the same block-bottom bag style but pops the brighter colors with glossy film instead of muted paper.

NEXT: Big-kid fruit snack

10. Big-kid fruit snack

Go Go Squeez Blastz puree fruit snacks from Materne North America corner the market by appealing to older kids with a bigger pouch and grown-up carton design. One curved corner and subtle embossing on “Blastz” signals a more sophisticated to-go treat made from 100% fruit so kidults can “snack on something real” when life moves fast.

NEXT: Candy waffle

11. Candy waffle

Hershey’s Waffle Layer Crunch combines waffle cone pieces with flavored crèmes topped with chocolate for a tasty treat that ice-cream lovers can enjoy all year long—no freezer required! Extra varnish on the tented and fold-sealed bag helps the product photo and brand name pop on shelf.

NEXT: Oh me, oh MY own dessert

12. Oh me, oh MY own dessert

Foodstirs new Minute Mug Cake Mix continues the brand’s family-look with the same “peaked”-style cartons as its other product lines.

The limited edition will launch nationwide in early July 2019 and will be available through the back-to-school season. It will include both the standard 1.55-oz Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bar and snack-size Hershey’s bars.

The graphic design for the six limited-edition wrappers features emojis, rendered in vibrant yellow, hot pink and brown, plus product photography on a yellow background. The design marks the brand’s first departure from its standard brown and gray wrappers.

“Our intent was for the packaging graphics to stand out on-shelf and differentiate us versus the everyday Hershey packaging. The yellow color also helps us quickly communicate emojis as the new theme,” says Teal Liu, manager of partnership and occasion marketing at Hershey.

The six emojis on the wrappers include Winking Face, Smiling Face with Heart Eyes, Smiling Face with Tears of Joy and Smiling Face with Sunglasses. Each pip on the chocolate bar is marked with one of 25 emojis, which include Thumbs Up, Fist Bump and several of the same emojis used on the packaging.

“We wanted to give kids the opportunity to share the bars with their friends, based on their sentiment, as well as to promote collectability of the new item,” Liu says. “We conducted both qualitative and quantitative research to validate the concept as well as confirm the top 25 ‘shareable’ emojis that both kids and parents liked best.”

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MinnPack (October 23-24) is Minnesota's only packaging event connecting professionals from companies like Conagra Brands, General Mills, and Target with suppliers offering the latest packaging technologies, including a range of automation solutions, from semi-automatic equipment to sophisticated "smart" systems. Register to attend today!

Major food and beverage brands continue an industry-wide movement into sustainable packaging usually with specific targets and within overarching corporate-wide sustainability goals. One of the latest is Hellmann's, a Unilever brand based in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, that announced in April that by 2020, all mayonnaise and mayonnaise dressing plastic PET containers sold in U.S. retail stores would be made from recycled plastic materials as part of the company’s ongoing commitment to advance sustainable packaging.

The recycled plastic packaging is rolling out now, beginning with Hellmann's mayonnaise and mayonnaise Dressing squeeze bottles, to be followed by Hellmann's jars by the end of 2019. More than 200 million Hellmann's bottles and jars will be impacted, and the new containers will feature How2Recycle label and artwork that highlights the brand's commitment to using recycled plastic.

"Switching to recycled plastic has a positive impact on the environment by reducing the amount of bottles sent to landfills and lowering greenhouse gas emissions," says Benjamin Crook, senior director, dressings & condiments, Unilever. "At Hellmann's we strive for sustainability in all that we do, including helping customers make a responsible choice while still enjoying the products they love."

This is the first step for Hellmann's to move its portfolio of products toward fully recyclable bottles and jars that are made from 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials. The brand's commitment is one way the brand is delivering on the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan, the company's blueprint for sustainable growth. Specifically, Hellmann's efforts will support the company's goal of ensuring 100% of plastic packaging will be designed to be fully reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.

The entire lineup of Hellmann’s mayonnaise and mayonnaise dressing jar and squeeze containers are made with recycled plastic: 15oz, 24oz, 30oz, 36oz, 48 oz and 64 oz. for jars; and 5.5oz, 11.5oz, 20oz, 25oz for squeezable plastic dispensers, Crook informs Packaging Digest.

Bottles, jars and caps

In addition to PET bottles, the company plans to use recycled content in its polypropylene caps.

“We are actively researching ways to ensure 100% of our plastic packaging is recyclable and made from 100% recycled materials,” Crook explains. “As we work towards our goal, we are also developing technologies that improve the recyclability of our packaging. We have committed resources and people to get the job done as we do our part to meet Unilever’s goal of ensuring 100% plastic packaging will be designed to be fully reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.”

As with some moves toward more sustainable resources for primary packaging, there are tradeoffs.

“As a result of the recycling process, our new packaging will have a slightly darker tint compared to the previous packaging, but it performs exactly the same as our standard packaging,” Crook discloses. “We’re excited that consumers can make a responsible choice while still enjoying the products they love.”

Notably, the retail pricing of the products will remain unaffected by the packaging changes.

The company has lined up vendor sources for the packaging that it declines to identify. “We work with a variety of partners to ensure we have enough high-quality recycled materials to meet demand,” Crook offers. “The recycled materials we use in our packaging are safe and cleared for food-contact use by the FDA.”

Crook will neither affirm or deny the company’s interest in bioplastics, saying “we are actively researching new plastic packaging innovations as we work towards ensuring 100% of plastic packaging is recyclable and made with 100% recycled materials.”

New label and Loop involvement

The new containers will also feature the How2Recycle label that clearly and graphically simplifies summarizes on-package recycling instructions for consumers (for more information, see How2Recycle label is growing—here’s who, why and how, published February 2019).

“Our Hellmann’s mayonnaise and mayonnaise Dressing jars and bottles will have new bottle wrapper artwork highlighting our commitment to using recycled plastic,” Crook explains. “These containers will state: ‘Bottle [or jar] made with 100% recycled plastic, because it’s the right thing to do.’ The front of all packsLoop reusable packaging shopping platform launches in the U.S. will also display one of the following messages: ‘100% recycled bottle’ or ‘100% recycled jar.’

Unilever is also developing reusable packaging innovations in an effort to reduce single-use plastics as part of TerraCycle's Loop platform (for more information, see Loop reusable packaging shopping platform launches in the U.S., published June 2019). Premium skincare brand REN Clean Skincare, Hellmann’s, Love Beauty and Planet, Love Home and Planet and Seventh Generation will trial new reusable packaging made from aluminium and glass, according to the company.

“At Hellmann’s, we’re excited to be one of nine Unilever brands participating in the Loop program,” says Crook. “Loop is a win-win for consumers and businesses, and of course, for the planet. We are thrilled to be involved and to continue to encourage others to join the movement. We look forward to working with our partners to develop reusable packaging for the everyday products consumers love.”

The company will be measuring the recyclable plastic packaging program’s progress in the months ahead.

“Switching to recycled plastic has a positive impact on the environment by reducing the amount of bottles sent to landfills and lowering greenhouse gas emissions,” Crook says. “We look forward to tracking the impact of our recycled plastic packaging especially as we look to implement even more changes to improve the recyclability of our packaging.”

Our concise review starts at number three and moves up to a surprising winner (in my opinion) this month.

3. Best If Used By date code recommended for food labeling

Who has heard the phrase “When in doubt, throw it out”? A lot of American consumers, it seems. They’ve been tossing a lot of still-edible food because the date code on the package has passed. They figure, perhaps rightly so, that it’s not worth the chance on eating something that has expired and might make you sick.

But those codes mostly indicate the date the food will taste best by. They are more of a quality indicator than a food safety warning.

In April 2019, three U.S. agencies—the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)—finally acted to improve the date code labeling guidelines for food sold in the United States. All three agreed to recommend that food companies standardize on “Best If Used By” language for voluntary date-code labeling as part of a new strategy to fight food and packaging waste. Have you updated your codes yet?

NEXT: "Paper or plastic?"...again???

2. Paper or plastic? 6 sustainable foodservice packaging options for both

Another on-going dilemma consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies struggle with today, especially with the rising anti-plastic movement, is the age-old question: Paper or plastic? Packaging suppliers would be smart to make sure customers are given both options.

One foodservice packaging manufacturer, Novolex, is a case in point. The company’s portfolio encompasses recyclable and compostable options in paper- and plastic-based packaging. Take a look yourself by clicking on the headline above. A lot of your colleagues and competitors have already done so, which is why this article appears in the #2 spot for the month.

NEXT: BPA concern still high

1. Most food cans no longer use BPA in their linings

This article about BPA and food can linings has consistently experienced high page views since it was initially posted in February 2018—almost a year and a half ago. But over the last several months, interest has peaked again. In February and March 2019, it was #3 in the best-read articles’ lists. In April 2019, it moved up to the #2 spot. Now it’s at #1. Where can it possibly go from here??? You’ll have to come back in about a month to find out!

Another comment from a reader, posted on June 1, shares some info about alternative materials and offers a suggestion:“There is also Bisphenol B, Z AF, AP, & S. All have same health issues and are able to be used and called BPA free. Move back to glass and get rid of plastic linings and deceptive marketing in food products.”

Because consumers are still concerned about chemicals in packaging that might migrate into their food (and thus into their bodies), food companies and their packaging departments need to be concerned too.

On Tues., June 11, from 1:00 to 1:45 p.m. in the Packaging Hub (Booth 2370), Tom Szaky, founder and CEO of TerraCycle and inventor of Loop, will answer “Why Big Brands Are Revisiting the Milkman Model.” Attendees to EastPack 2019 (June 11-13; New York City) can attend the presentation for free. Register by clicking here.

Tom Szaky

Szaky—who I consider the Steve Jobs of packaging sustainability and corporate responsibility—has teamed up with an impressive list of brand owners like Nestlé, Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola and Unilever to envision a seismic shift in consumer product consumption with reusable, luxury packaging at its core (“Loop and big brands boldly reinvent waste-free packaging”).

All products on the Loop shopping platform are sold in premium and long-lasting packaging that is designed for multiple reuse before ultimately being recycled. The lifespan of each package will vary but the goal is a minimum of, say, 10 trips, with some packages being designed to withstand 10 times that.

Loop announced its exclusive partnerships in the U.S. with Walgreens and Kroger in a May 21, 2019, press release. Initially, the Loop products will be available at www.thekrogerco.com/loop or www.walgreens.com/loop (as well as at www.loopstore.com). But future plans are that consumers will be able to buy Loop products in brick-and-mortar stores in select Kroger and Walgreens markets.

“Kroger’s commitment to embrace innovation on our path to Zero Hunger/Zero Waste aligns perfectly with Loop’s mission to create a convenient circular packaging solution for consumers,” said Jessica Adelman, Kroger’s group vice president of corporate affairs, in the press release. “We believe in giving our customers sustainable packaging choices they can feel good about. As the exclusive grocery retail partner for Loop in the United States, Kroger is taking another big step toward a world with zero waste.”

“Walgreens is excited about this opportunity to help consumers purchase sustainably packaged products and contribute to a healthier planet,” said Lauren Brindley, Walgreens group vp of beauty and personal care, in the same press announcement. “Innovative collaborations with partners like Loop are critical to solving the complex issue of reducing single-use plastics. Our customers look to us to innovate so that together we can reduce waste and increase re-use.”

Further expansion plans are quickly moving along, too. Earlier today (June 6), Loop announced a partnership with Loblaws to offer Loop products in the Toronto area starting in early 2020.

As criticism for single-use packaging (usually single-use plastic packaging) reaches a fever pitch, product manufacturers and consumers alike seem to be more open to alternative packaging formats. From a consumer experience point of view, the Loop website explains why its “no tradeoffs” concept may be the secret ingredient to acceptance: “The unintended consequences of our addiction to single-use packaging are here. It is important to urgently move from disposable to reusable solutions at mass scale. But we can’t do it if we ask people to sacrifice, and with durable design we don’t need to.”

I can’t wait to hear further up-to-the-minute Loop updates from Szaky during his presentation on June 11. Come join us!