Is Paper the New Plastic?
Consumer brands work on how to use paper packaging in place of plastic while keeping food fresh.
Oct 07, 2020 | 2 min read
VEVEY, Switzerland—Environmental concerns are driving many consumer goods companies to contemplate switching from plastic to paper, but how to keep food fresh, not stale or soggy, has made such a change more challenging, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Paper’s renewable sourcing and easy recyclability make it a top contender for replacing plastic. Already, cardboard and paper are being used for plastic bags, straws, fruit trays and shrink wrap for beverages. Nestlé SA and Unilever both are working with paper instead of plastic.
The paper-in-place-of-plastic trend is predicted to explode in Europe, as new restrictions to reduce plastic waste go into effect. “There’s a lot of momentum behind single-use plastics replacement,” said Colin McIntyre, head of paper and recycling at DS Smith papermaker, which has identified hundreds of ways paper can be used instead of plastic. “This is a really, really key focus for us.”
Before World War II, paper dominated packaging materials for consumer goods. However, paper lacks the protective qualities that help keep food fresh. “Plastics are highly functional. They’re water-resistant, grease-resistant, easy to seal,” said Patrick Lindner, chief innovation officer at WestRock Co, a papermaking company. “Getting paper to behave like plastic is a tremendous technological challenge.”
Nestlé now uses plastic-coated paper packets rather than ones with plastic and aluminum layers for some Nesquik cocoa powder and Yes! snack bars. The plastic coating dissolves during the paper recycling process.
In 2019, Unilever started wrapping its Carte d’Or ice cream brand in a cornstarch-coated paper carton, which is recyclable. “We’re moving many of our products, which are today in multilayer plastic [...] into paper or recyclable plastics,” said Hanneke Faber with Unilever’s food business.
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