FrieslandCampina’s cups now recyclable thanks to new label

FrieslandCampina introduces sustainable labels for yogurt and soft curd cups as from July 2021. This concerns the yogurt and soft curd cups from the brands Campina, Optimel and Mona (450 g and 500 g). The solution developed by our Research & Development department makes over 400,000 kilograms of cups recyclable. Following the recent introduction of 100% recycled PET bottles, this is a next step towards circular packaging.

15 July 2021

Previously, the cups could not be recycled as a whole, because during the waste sorting process the machines did not recognise the label around the cups as ‘recyclable’. Patrick van Baal, Global Director Packaging Development at FrieslandCampina: “Now we have found a solution for this. With the new labels around our yogurt and soft curd cups we make sure that these packages are correctly recognised and sorted for recycling in the existing recycling processes and do not end up in the residual waste flow for energy recovery. The cups can now be recycled for new applications.”

Recycle 400,000 kilograms of cups

One of the objectives of the sustainability programme of FrieslandCampina Nourishing a better planet is to make better packaging that is 100% circular and CO2-neutral, while minimising the amount of packaging material. Van Baal: “For FrieslandCampina making over 400,000 kilos of cups recyclable clearly contributes in making our entire packaging portfolio reusable and/or recyclable in the year 2025.”

1. Why is there a label in the first place?

The label (we call that ‘sleeve’) is not only there to be pretty. The label covers the whole cup to keep the light out of it. It that way products stay longer fresh. Without the label the product would spoil quickly and we really do not like food waste!
2. In what way are these new plastic labels different from the plastic labels that used to be put around the cups?

The new plastic labels make sure that cups can be better sorted for recycling. After the cups have been discarded, they go to a sorting centre. Such a centre sorts all different types of materials for recycling, like cans, bottles and drink cartons. The sorting is done by machines and the sleeves that used to be put around the cups made the cups ‘invisible’ for the machines. Therefore, the cups ended up in the residual waste flow for energy recovery. The new sleeves make sure that the machines do recognise the cups, so that they can be recycled. Here it remains important that the aluminium foil is completely removed from the cups to help the process.
3. What can consumers do?

We made the cups a whole lot easier to recycle, but please help by removing the aluminium foil.
4. Which cups are recyclable?

For now this innovation concerns the brands Campina, Optimel and Mona and counts for yogurt and soft curd cups of 450 g and 500 g.