Consumer desire for sustainability is strong:__ almost half (46%) of European consumers would be willing to forego their preferred brand for a more sustainable alternative.__ And the younger generation is particularly willing to vote with their wallets – 54% of Gen-Z consumers say they are willing to pay extra for more sustainable products.

Clearly, this appetite for sustainability is something that cheese brands need to address. But not at the cost of current packaging performance and standards, which, I know, are crucial for brands and consumers too. For dairy brands in Europe, achieving this balance is now much easier, thanks to the launch of AmPrima® packaging solutions for cheese.

What are the key recycling challenges for cheese packaging?

Dairy packaging must perform a wide range of functions. Cheese packaging, for example, requires a range of features which includes specific barriers to preserve the product, anti-leak capabilities (especially for soft cheese products like mozzarella in brine), as well as the ability to run on high-speed production lines – all while offering optimal product shelf appeal.

Until now, only mixed materials films have performed well enough to achieve this. This means OPA/PE and OPA/PEP are currently the dominant packaging materials for flowpack cheese packaging – but these mixed materials are hard to recycle.

How can AmPrima® packaging solutions help?

With sustainability regulations for packaging being rolled out across Europe, brands need to adapt their product offerings. Amcor's R&D team has developed a mono-PE-based platform that can help companies derive value from their sustainability efforts.

The AmPrima® packaging range for cheese is designed to be recycled, while also maintaining production efficiency and product protection, and enhancing brand appeal. It is recycle-ready today in most European countries as certified by the cyclos-HTP institute.

The solution is treated for thermal stability, allows easy transition on existing filling machines, and has an innovative barrier coating for product protection.

AmPrima® is available in a variety of formats including flow wrap for hard cheeses, pouches for grated cheeses, and even flow-packs for leak-prone cheeses such as mozzarella.

How can AmPrima® for cheese benefit your brand?

AmPrima® is designed according to CEFLEX guidelines for PE recycling streams for flexible packaging. The lighter weight of AmPrima® also potentially allows brands to achieve an EPR fee savings. __And it can use a percentage of food-grade recycled material - making the packaging both recycle-ready and made with recycled material. __

Take grated cheese as an example – we worked with a French customer to find the best solution for their cheese line. Our AmPrima® flowpack proved to be the perfect match. Switching to AmPrima allowed the customer to acheive a 25% reduction in non-renewable energy use, along with 41% lower carbon footprint in the production process, and 11% less water consumption_ compared to their previous OPA/PE cheese packaging. That’s an equivalent savings of shutting off 1,640 ten-minute showers.* Impressive, isn't it?

How could this benefit your dairy brand? For a start, telling your consumers in several European countries that your packaging can be recycled, can help your product story. Such a significant reduction in carbon footprint could also open up the possibility of your brand applying for a Carbon Trust “Reduced CO2 Packaging” claim printed on your pack. Research shows that 60% of consumers are familiar with the Carbon Trust Label, and that 50% of those are willing to pay more for products that have it.

Let’s look at another example of a product that could benefit from AmPrima®: Mozzarella. In years of experience working with dairy brands, I know that leaks are a common problem for cheese producers when packaging Mozzarella. Our solution preserves fresh Mozzarella without any need for an additional oxygen barrier (such as EVOH). AmPrima® prevents leaks thanks to high puncture resistance and increased toughness. This means reliable packaging and less rework, and that translate in cost-savings.

We are committed to a future of more sustainable packaging and AmPrima® allows us to meet increasing customer demand for recycle-ready solutions. Furthermore, we are exited to announce that our AmPrima® range for cheese is now available with food-grade recycled PE to support our customers in reaching their own sustainability goals.

These results are calculated in ASSET™, Amcor’s in-house life cycle assessment tool; certified by the Carbon Trust.