Not only are these bowls and containers leakproof, stackackable and extremely durable, they can be reused – extending their lifespan beyond single use.
Fill these takeaway cartons with hot, cold, wet or dry food — everything in this collection has a specialised inner coating that’s impervious to grease, oil and moisture.
With our ever-expanding range of sandwich bags, you can now choose from cold sandwich bags or hot food bags which are grease resistant and breathable to keep those paninis and toasties from going soggy.
These activity bags can be used to keep the little ones entertained while your diners eat in, but they can also be used as an exciting takeaway lunch bag, with room to pop a sandwich and some snacks inside.
We have a style of cutlery for every taste. Our great quality, eco-friendly cutlery range is made from renewable and sustainable materials including birchwood, sugarcane bagasse or paper.
To complement our range of sustainable takeaway packaging, we now stock condiments in sachets that are all packaged in certified compostable, plastic free paper.
Designed for the cold drinks market, there’s plenty of biodegradable lid styles to choose from, including flat lids, domed lids or lids with sip holes.
Our takeaway packaging case studies show you how we’ve helped major brands and retailers customise their branded packaging to suit their offerings and company image.
We have a team of talented food packaging designers who can create impactful and eye-catching bespoke packaging from scratch or using your existing assets.
We’re not your average takeaway packaging supplier. We go above and beyond to provide a selection of additional services to exceed your expectations. Just like our branded takeaway packaging, our additional services are flexible and tailored to your individual needs.
But, takeaways aren’t just for savoury meals — they’re for sweeter treats too. The bakery industry in the UK alone is worth a whopping £3 billion. If you’re a dessert vendor, you’ll know that baked goods come in all shapes and sizes and are often very delicate. Icing or intricate toppings fall victim to inadequate packaging, arriving in your customer’s hands in bits and pieces.
Cookies, cakes, desserts and more rely on their presentation to drive sales. Colourful desserts, in particular, have become increasingly popular due to social media trends — so maintaining presentation is one of the biggest priorities in dessert packaging.
We’re also moving into the age of sustainability, where customers are actively seeking to shop eco-consciously. So, the best packaging for your desserts needs to be functional, protective and eco-friendly to impress your consumer base. It’s time to ditch the plastic and rethink your cookies and cake packaging for the future. Let’s kick things off with a compilation of the best sustainable packaging alternatives for desserts.
Captivating Cakes & Cookies Packaging
One of the most important aspects of cake packaging is to make sure your desserts are covered. Invest in a specific cake box or containers with leak-proof lids to keep your goods fresh and in good condition.
Plastic packaging is often a popular choice, but it’s not sustainable. We’re already producing over 380 million tonnes of plastic waste per year as a planet — so it’s time to look at more environmentally friendly options.
For an eco-friendly alternative to plastic packaging, transition to Kraftware. Kraft material is made from wood pulp, sourced from responsibly managed and sustainable forests. Kraftware is just as durable as plastic and remarkably tear-resistant.
Our range of Kraftware cake boxes fits the bill. They’re easy to open and store flat, with a useful handle which locks all four sides into place. These cake boxes are also recyclable, biodegradable and compostable — perfect for eco-conscious customers. Choose between sizes 140x140mm and 200x200mm to effectively protect and innovatively present your cakes.
How Do You Package Desserts?
When it comes to dessert packaging, feel free to think outside the box a little bit. Specific packaging marketed for savoury products is actually the ideal choice for your sweet treats.
Consider biodegradable meal boxes if you sell cookies or other resilient baked goods like brownies and flapjacks, consider biodegradable meal boxes. Meal boxes are sturdy packaging options which provide easy access to your delectable bites.
Our range of pizza and meal boxes are food-grade standard thanks to a clever design tweak. Most cardboard food boxes require additional greaseproof paper, but we’ve lined the inside with virgin Kraft paper, providing higher grease resistance. Customers can also enjoy your products guilt-free as all our pizza and meal boxes are recyclable or compostable.
Our client, Bueno Gelato, used one of our pizza boxes with a custom design with the help of our in-house creative team. Even the inks used are water-based and eco-friendly. All that’s required is a little imagination and the switch to sustainability has never been easier.
Packaging for Other Desserts
Desserts often have a reputation for looking as good as they taste. If you want your treats to be on display to your customers, utilise one of our salad boxes which features a PLA window. PLA (Polylactic acid) is derived from renewable resources like sugar cane or cornstarch — so even if it’s clear, it doesn’t have to be plastic!
Before you buy your new packaging for your cookies, cakes or desserts, ask your chosen supplier for samples. This means you can test your dessert containers yourself, ensuring they protect your products adequately and seal in freshness.
The sandwich is a British lunchtime staple. Sandwiches are easy to make, filling and portable — which explains why it’s 42% of the nation’s go-to lunch. Invented in the 18th Century by John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, as a convenient way to eat and multitask, now, the simple sandwich boasts worldwide popularity.
Picking up a supermarket sandwich is an effortless way to get lunch sorted for the workday. But, supermarkets and other retailers often use paperboard packaging lined with plastic to package their sandwiches. For the eco-conscious consumer, this makes disposing of sandwich packaging an unnecessary hassle.
To recycle sandwich packaging, you must remove the paperboard from the transparent plastic. Only the paperboard is recyclable, whereas the clear plastic goes straight into the bin.
With the UK throwing away 96.6 billion pieces of plastic annually, not everyone will bother with the fiddly process of disassembling their sandwich packaging.
As a food retailer, you can start appealing to your eco-conscious market using compostable sandwich bags — which are easy to dispose of. Not only will your customers enjoy their mouthwatering sandwiches, but they’ll also feel guilt-free about throwing away their sandwich packaging afterwards. Instead, customers can give back to the planet by composting their sandwich packaging, allowing it to biodegrade naturally.
If you’re keen on being greener, consider some sustainable sandwich packaging ideas to inspire you to take the leap.
Which Packaging Material Is Best for Sandwiches?
Greaseproof paper is one of the most popular packaging options for sandwiches on the go. As the name suggests, greaseproof paper soaks up oil and grease and prevents sandwiches from going soggy. It also provides a useful way to hold and eat the sandwich without causing a mess.
Greaseproof Greatness
If your business specialises in fresh takeaway sandwiches, greaseproof paper is a cost-effective way to serve your delectable delights.
So what makes our greaseproof paper eco-friendly? Well, for starters, ours doesn’t have a silicone lining. The lining on our greaseproof paper is 100% virgin pulp from responsibly managed forests. The fibres are tightly woven to prevent moisture or oil from permeating the surface. When standard greaseproof paper comes into contact with greasy or oily food, you can’t recycle it. It’s spoiled during usage, so it needs to go straight into the bin. With contaminated recycling becoming a considerable problem, make the disposal process greener and easier for your customers.
Greaseproof paper doesn’t have to be boring, either! Make your company stand out with custom branding on your paper and engage your customers with a vivid and striking design.
Sustainable Sandwich Bags
We get it. Some sandwiches look so good — you want to show them off. Sandwich bags with plastic windows are perfect for displaying and protecting your food. But, hang on… plastic? That’s an environmental no-no, surely?
Not anymore. Our sustainable brown sandwich bags feature a PLA window (Polylactic acid) derived from renewable, organic sources — like sugarcane or cornstarch.
When you’re choosing your packaging for sandwiches, it’s essential to think about the type of product you’re selling. For instance, toasties and paninis would benefit from our Hot Kraft Paper Bags — grease resistant and breathable to maintain freshness. Our Kraft paperboard tray is perfect for serving up ready-to-eat subs packed with scrumptious fillings.
In the era of eco-consciousness, provide your customers with an easy, eco-friendly way to discard your sandwich packaging. By playing your part in protecting the planet, you’re helping others do their bit — investing in a greener future for the packaging industry.
In October 2015, a five-pence fee for plastic carrier bags came into effect in England, requiring all supermarkets and large stores to charge a minimum of 5p for every single-use carrier bag they gave out.
Since the law’s introduction, we have seen several developments. The plastic bag charge increased to 10p per bag in April 2021 and was extended to all shops, not just supermarkets.
So has the UK plastic bag charge worked? Yes, it has!
Since the scheme was introduced, the number of bags sold by major supermarkets has decreased by more than 95% in England.
But what does this mean for the future? Will selling plastic bags be banned altogether? Will supermarkets return to using paper bags like those used before plastic bags became popular? Let’s find out.
To understand where we’re heading, we need to know why a charge for plastic bags was introduced. Before the law was introduced in 2015, more than 7.6 billion single-use carrier bags were given to customers by major supermarkets in England.
That accounts for a lot of plastic waste, most of which has ended up in landfills, even though some plastic bags are recyclable. This is one of the main reasons why the scheme was introduced — to help protect the environment.
The government aimed to reduce our collective reliance on single-use carrier bags and the litter associated with them by encouraging people to reuse bags and carriers. Ultimately, the campaign has successfully heightened public awareness of the issues surrounding single-use plastic bags and the potential damage they cause.
Are Plastic Bags Bad for the Environment?
The plastic carrier bags used by supermarkets in the UK are made with polyethylene (PE), a product of the fossil fuel industry. Even if you opt for a recycled plastic bag, this kind of material takes over 20 years to decompose, sometimes far longer.
Much of the plastic products and packaging in circulation today will be around for centuries. From the moment they’re manufactured, plastic bags have uncertain futures. Once they’ve fulfilled their initial purpose, it’s left to the consumer to decide their fate — the vast majority of plastic bags end up in general waste.
This is mainly because they perish quickly — splitting, ripping or tearing as part of general use. Not only is this inconvenient, but it also raises questions for consumers about what to do with plastic bags once they’re no longer fit for their original purpose.
With this in mind, it’s essential to consider how the population feels about being charged for carrier bags.
How Do People Feel about the Plastic Bag Charge?
Initially, it was no surprise that many people resented paying for bags that were once handed out for free. There were reports of shoppers stealing plastic bags to avoid paying, but large retailers could face fines if they don’t charge for plastic bags less than 70 microns thick.
On the other hand, most Britons support the plastic bag charge. Respondents said they’re actively trying to cut down on the plastic they use and would support further government policies to reduce plastic usage.
In addition, half of Brits say they would pay more for products with eco-friendly packaging, while two-thirds of Britons think that all UK companies should be required by law to use packaging that isn’t harmful to the environment.
With this level of consumer support, it’s clear that people are more concerned about the environment than in previous years.
Bags which only contain certain items that may cause a safety risk.
The latter includes unwrapped food, such as raw meat and fish, prescription medicines, uncovered blades, seeds, bulbs and flowers, although for the most part, there will be a charge for a plastic carrier bag.
The former — paper bags — pose an opportunity for businesses to avoid the plastic bag charge while providing convenient, disposable carriers that don’t harm the environment.
Where Does the Plastic Bag Charge Go?
If you’re wondering where the money from the plastic bag charge goes, most retailers donate plastic bag charges to charities. The government expects retailers to donate some or all of the proceeds from plastic bag sales to good causes. Still, it isn’t mandatory, and retailers are allowed to deduct reasonable costs.
Does Charging for Plastic Bags Benefit the Environment?
The plastic bag charge was designed to reduce plastic waste and minimise plastic pollution, so does charging for plastic bags actually benefit the environment?
Plastic bag charges have reduced the number of single-use plastic bags sold by supermarkets, meaning fewer plastic bags are in circulation. In turn, this has reduced waste, litter and pollution caused by non-biodegradable bags.
If fewer plastic bags are sold, then there’s less demand. This impacts manufacturing and production, which is good news for the planet’s ecosystems. The production of plastic bags relies on fractional distillation, a process that contributes to environmental pollution and invariably relies on non-renewable fossil fuels.
In addition, studies indicate that charging for plastic bags has increased support among consumers for similar charges to reduce plastic waste. Now, most countries are tackling the plastic bag issue by charging for plastic bags, thus reducing plastic waste.
The overall effect has reinforced the notion that plastic packaging harms the environment. So what alternatives are available to plastic bags?
Are There Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Plastic Bags?
There are a few ways consumers can avoid single-use plastic bags. When shopping, ordering takeaway food or engaging in any activity that requires the limited use of a carrier bag, consumers can:
The upside is avoiding the plastic bag charge, but each method has its downsides. Some options limit convenience and practicality, while others simply aren’t available to consumers.
A life cycle assessment comparing single-use plastic bags, plastic “bags for life”, cotton-based carriers (such as tote bags) and paper shopping bags found that cotton and paper had the highest negative impacts on fossil fuel use.
Does this mean governments and world leaders are wrong to charge for or even ban plastic bags? There’s more to it than that.
Are Paper Bags Better for the Environment than Plastic Bags?
To effectively tackle the environmental issues surrounding carrier bags, we need to take a holistic view of how plastic bags and paper bags and other alternatives are used and disposed of:
Plastic Bags
Paper Bags
Energy Usage
Less
More
Reusable
Yes
Yes*
Recyclable
Yes**
Yes
Biodegradable
No
Yes
Compostable
No
Yes
*Kraft paper bags made from high-quality materials can be used multiple times, but they’re not as durable as plastic bags.
**Plastic bags are recyclable but need to be taken to specialist facilities since you cannot recycle them at home.
It’s worth noting that plastics have other negative effects on the environment, too. When plastics decompose, they deteriorate into microplastics that profoundly impact the environment and pose a genuine threat to human health.
Are Compostable Bags Better than Plastic Bags?
To avoid excess plastic packaging, many large-scale retailers have introduced compostable bags. Some retailers have taken this a step further. For example, Co-op has stopped selling plastic “bags for life” and completely replaced them with compostable carriers.
So what about the bags themselves?
Compostable bags have similar characteristics to the thin, single-use plastic bags consumers are used to seeing, without some of plastic’s environmental drawbacks. Under the right conditions, they degrade much faster than their plastic counterparts.
Retailers are still charging for compostable bags, though, encouraging consumers to bring their own bags — or purchase heavy-duty reusable bags for a premium price at the checkout.
Has the UK’s Plastic Bag Charge Made a Difference?
The plastic bag charge is one of many legislation changes that affects businesses and consumers alike. In the UK, it has directly impacted the sale and usage of single-use carriers, indicating a clear shift in consumer behaviour.
Further laws, taxes and regulations have followed, including bans on single-use plastics — such as straws, stirrers and even polystyrene takeaway containers — and the Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT), affecting the import of non-recycled plastics.
Charging for plastic bags has underpinned the argument that consumers should reuse carriers as much as possible to protect the environment. Importantly, when bags inevitably cease to be useful, they should try to dispose of them responsibly.
Where possible, compostable and biodegradable packaging should be used to minimise the negative impact this kind of packaging has on the environment.
Looking for eco-friendly packaging solutions? Replace your plastic carrier bags with paper bags and food carriers today.
Are you a food vendor serving ice cream, sorbet or frozen yoghurt? Maybe you’re breaking ground in retail with mochi? If so, you need to know how to properly package your frozen delights to keep customers coming back.
Packaging frozen foods can be tricky, often leaving your patrons in a sticky mess. Eco-friendly ice cream packaging offers a planet-positive solution for the food service and retail industries.
Let’s look at the most practical, functional and sustainable packaging for ice cream, cold desserts and more.
First, it’s worth knowing how ice cream was packaged when it became a popular consumer product.
The invention of ice cream dates back centuries, yet it only became available en masse with the advent of mechanical refrigeration; when ice cream could be stored — instead of necessitating immediate consumption — packaging was essential.
But the world was a long way off from developing a suitable solution. Waxed paper cartons were most fashionable for serving “iced cream” at the turn of the 20th century, far from an ideal choice of packaging, as frozen foods become a gloopy mess in short order.
Ice cream packaging has come a long way since. The global market for ice cream and sorbets is projected to grow, reaching $84.9 billion in 2025 — now’s a good time to double down on the sale of ice cream, sorbet and frozen yoghurt.
So what’s the most sustainable and cost-effective way to package these frozen treats?
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How to Package Ice Cream
Ice cream is one of the trickiest food products to preserve effectively and serve smoothly. The packaging you use will depend on where you’re keeping your frozen products and how you intend to sell them.
There are some guidelines for how you should store chilled, cold and frozen food:
Chilled food — below 4ºC
Cold food — between 10-15ºC
Frozen food — below -18ºC.
Keeping foods at these temperatures will prevent your products from spoiling while allowing you to serve ice cream at the perfect temperature, which is between -12-15ºC, according to studies.
Retail Ice Cream Packaging
Packaging in the retail sector ranges from custom paperboard tubs — used extensively by global brands such as Oatly and Ben & Jerry’s — to plastic containers utilised primarily by supermarket brands.
You can guess which is more effective, safer and better for the planet — it’s not plastic ice cream packaging. Typically made from HDPE (high-density polyethylene plastic) or PP (polypropylene) plastic, households have long reused this kind of packaging due to its size and durability. It’s not a good idea to hang onto these containers, though.
Ice cream packaging is more varied for food vendors operating out of shops, vans and stalls. Still, ice cream tubs remain popular for practicality and convenience. While these containers are only second to ice cream cones, there’s an array of packaging materials, formats and accessories to choose from.
Buying wholesale ice cream packaging doesn’t need to be a risk. Order free packaging samples and put our tubs and accessories to the test.
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Types of Ice Cream Packaging
The ice cream packaging in shops and supermarkets differs from packaging used in the food service industry, but it shares a few similarities. Ultimately, the ice cream packaging should be:
Functional — Keep the product safe and at the desired temperature.
Practical — Easy to open, use and dispose of for customers of all ages.
Eco-Friendly — Most consumers actively seek out sustainable packaging.
To meet this criteria, you must know which packaging materials to use. The most innovative ice cream packaging products do more than just help you serve delicious scoops. They also help protect the environment by providing consumers with more responsible ways to dispose of it.
Our disposable ice cream tubs are crafted from food-grade paperboard and lined with PLA (polylactic acid), a plant-based bioplastic that’s naturally compostable and biodegradable. The lining prevents the packaging from being compromised by moisture, condensation or melted ice cream.
While using PLA means they’re not recyclable, they’re much friendlier to the planet than plastic-lined alternatives that are resource-intensive to manufacture and rarely recycled.
All our ice cream tubs are available in 3oz, 4oz, 5oz and 8oz sizes. These sizes cater to most appetites. Each box contains 1,000 or more units, substantial enough for a demanding business yet small enough to cater for standalone events.
The colourful design on these tubs is printed using water and vegetable-based inks to add a little eco-friendly fun into the mix. They’re suitable for cold or hot foods, making them vibrant and versatile.
Are you looking for a natural finish? These unbranded tubs are available in larger sizes, from 8oz upwards. They’re ideal for açai bowls, frozen yoghurt or anything more than a scoop or two of ice cream. There’s enough room for nuts, seeds, fruit and berries for a delectably healthy treat!
Hungry for more? You can always contact us about placing larger or regular orders.
Our compostable and biodegradable cutlery will decompose naturally in far less time and at a fraction of the environmental cost than the traditional plastic-based cutlery. It’s also a lot more sturdy — how many times have you tried scooping some of your frozen dessert only to find your flimsy plastic spoon breaks?
These spoons have a rustic aesthetic that customers will immediately recognise as eco-friendly. Made from birchwood, they’re strong, smooth and perfectly safe for use with hot or cold food. Our wooden cutlery is naturally biodegradable and can be composted domestically or commercially. Also available as a wooden cutlery set.
Colourful and future-friendly, these spoons are available in both 4” scoop and 3” spoon varieties for serving all kinds of frozen food. Our bioplastic cutlery is entirely biodegradable — the material has similar physical attributes to traditional plastic without the typical environmental drawbacks.
Our plant-based packaging is innovative, renewable and just a bit different. These longer avocado seed spoons are ideal for up-market brands serving speciality desserts. Printed on all of this cutlery is “Avocado Seed Based”, making your customers aware that you aren’t using plastic. Also available as a 3-in-1 cutlery set.
Case Study: Eco-Friendly Ice Cream Tubs for Scally’s
We created custom ice cream packaging for Scally’s of Clonakilty, a small business with a local focus but plenty of ambition. The deep black and brilliant white paperboard packaging was printed using eco-friendly, water-based inks that are safe for use with food. These tubs and lids complemented their selection of wholesome products, helping them offer a memorable experience for their customers.
Ordering Custom Ice Cream Packaging
We’re one of the leading ice cream packaging suppliers in the UK. Our vision is to help our clients achieve sustainable, carbon-neutral packaging in style. With our custom ice cream packaging, you can do just that!
Paperboard tubs are fully customisable. We can print all of the external surfaces to display a logo, artwork or branding, as opposed to block-colour plastic containers or translucent plastic tubs that don’t help sell your products. The branded designs are printed using water or vegetable-based inks that are vivid and food-safe.
Our stock ice cream tubs and lids are available for next-day delivery — ideal for last-minute surges in demand, no matter the season.
Using our branding service, you can get a free, no-obligation quote in as little as 48 hours. Your order will take slightly longer, though, as we craft your bespoke packaging. Trust us; these unique products are worth the wait!
Visit our online shop and discover eco-friendly ice cream packaging. Want to know more about branded packaging? Get in touch for more information or a free custom packaging design quote.
We’re not advocating you throw out all of the meat in your freezer or jump on the biofuel bandwagon — we’re introducing you to plant-based packaging.
Some of the most useful and innovative packaging for food products is made from purely plant-based materials, from bagasse containers to avocado seed cutlery. Let’s take a look at plant-based packaging in detail.
Plant-based packaging is made from naturally renewable materials derived from plants. It’s completely organic, as opposed to many forms of traditional packaging like plastics, and can take many forms.
This is where plant-based could revolutionise the way packaging is perceived, from being a burden on the environment to something that could actually benefit the planet.
Packaging made from plants has endless applications, but it’s particularly useful in the food service industry.
That’s because food packaging is often spoiled by moisture, oil, grease, fat or anything else that comes from the products it contains, from burgers and pizzas to desserts and ice cream.
This leaves customers in a predicament — how should they responsibly dispose of their packaging waste?
The issue is so pervasive that some local councils have banned fast food packaging from their recycling bins on the count that most food packaging from certain outlets is essentially too spoilt to be processed at their facilities.
So is plant-based packaging the answer? Well, it has numerous unique qualities that make it superior to many forms of synthetic packaging currently available; the advantages of using naturally sustainable packaging are undeniable.
Plant-based packaging is:
1. Compostable and Biodegradable
Plant-based packaging breaks down quickly under the right conditions. Microorganisms feed on decaying organic matter, reducing it to nothing while benefiting the environment. The entire process takes between three and six months.
This is in stark contrast to plastic packaging, which takes centuries to degrade and inevitably ends up as microplastics, the consequences of which are far-reaching — they’ve even been located everywhere, from fresh Antarctic snow to (even more worryingly) the human body.
2. Sustainable
Since plant-based packaging is made from natural materials, it can be produced indefinitely, at least in theory. There isn’t a finite reserve of the resources required to create plant-based materials, whereas it’s expected we’ll run out of fossil fuels in our lifetime, forcing everyone to adopt sustainability by default eventually.
Synthetic packaging materials like plastic are derived from fossil fuels. That means a lot of refining and processing is involved in the production process, all of which releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
On the other hand, plant-based packaging can be produced at minimal cost to the environment, both in terms of the raw materials required, the processing involved and the net pollution.
At peak times, we know how important it is that your food packaging performs under pressure. You never want your cups, boxes, bags or trays to get in the way of speedy service, which is why our plant-based packaging has many practical uses.
For example, our leakproof bagasse bowls and bagasse clamshell containers make it easy for you to serve all kinds of cuisine without worrying about leaks, spills or other potentially costly mishaps for you or your customers.
Looks count for a lot. While aesthetics aren’t the be-all and end-all, food tastes better when it looks appealing, and packaging plays a role in making your takeaway dishes look delicious.
The natural finish of standard, unbranded plant-based packaging like bagasse is reassuringly simple, tactile and sturdy. It’s worthy of serving the finest foods to the most decadent treats thanks to the thickness, durability and temperature-controlling qualities of well-engineered, plant-based materials.
Examples of Plant-Based Packaging for Food (and Drinks)
Packaging made from plants sounds great in principle, so what exactly does it look like, and how can it be used? Some forms of plant-based packaging have been around for decades, while others are just emerging.
Here are a few examples of plant-based packaging:
Bagasse Containers (Sugarcane Pulp)
We’ve talked a lot about bagasse in our blog, and for good reason. It’s one of the most workable, durable and eco-friendly materials used in the packaging industry and beyond.
It’s a by-product of harvesting sugarcane, making it a naturally renewable resource. To produce the pulp required, sugarcanes are crushed and dried, leaving behind a strong, fibrous material. We’ve used it to craft bagasse tableware, compostable plates and more.
A naturally occurring substance in plants, PLA (polylactic acid) is a perfect replacement for all things plastic. A great example is clear bioplastic cups that are compostable, biodegradable, and made entirely from plant-based materials. Available in various sizes, including pint cups, they’re ideal for festivals and outdoor events if you serve beers, ciders, smoothies, fruit juices and everything in between.
It’s also handy to replace plastic or synthetic linings, like those found in disposable cups or cardboard takeaway containers, like pizza boxes. PLA is heat resistant, so it’s a perfect substitute for PE (polyethylene) linings if you want super-sustainable packaging that performs well at high temperatures.
Kraft Virgin Pulp (Paper)
You could argue that paper-based packaging — made from trees — is plant-based, but it’s especially relevant in food packaging. Let us explain.
There are two types of pulp used in the manufacture of paper-based packaging:
Virgin pulp, and,
Recycled pulp.
Each pulp is created by chemically or mechanically separating fibres from its source material, for example, wood or cotton. Each has its benefits and drawbacks.
Virgin pulp fibres create more durable paper for heavy duty applications. It’s particularly useful in producing things like greaseproof paper and the virgin Kraft paper that lines our pizza boxes and takeaway boxes.
Recycled pulp has shorter fibres, but the fact that it’s recycled means it’s more eco-friendly. It doesn’t have the same durability as virgin pulp, but it’s more cost-effective and sturdy enough to create corrugated cardboard, like fish and chip boxes.
Potential Drawbacks of Plant-Based Packaging
The disadvantages of single-use plastics are well-understood and widely accepted, but are there any drawbacks to using plant-based packaging?
In the interest of total transparency, it’s only fair to look at some potential downsides of using plant-based packaging.
Education about Recyclability
The general public has relied on an infrastructure that supports and encourages recycling, often leading to “wishcycling”. The problem is exacerbated by a lack of understanding as to what plant-based packaging is made from and how it should be disposed of.
Problems may arise if you introduce bioplastics to your audience without prior warning or sufficient information about the packaging itself. These materials are unsuitable for recycling and are instead designed to degrade naturally.
Politics and Policies
While governments and regulatory bodies have been more proactive in recent years, banning single-use plastics and introducing taxes, they’ve been slow to act on biodegradable and compostable alternatives.
Currently, bioplastics and biodegradable plastic packaging are included within the UK’s plastic tax, as they’re not recyclable. This is a hotly debated topic that will hopefully be resolved in the near future, but it’s important to be aware of the current state of play.
Composting Conundrums
Commercial composting facilities are currently few and far between, but that doesn’t mean people can’t compost their food packaging at home. Domestic composting is becoming more popular, and as businesses and consumers distance themselves from plastic packaging in favour of eco-friendly alternatives, a greater infrastructure is set to grow.
Plus, even if your customers can’t compost their packaging at home, compostable and biodegradable waste is much better for the planet than anything synthetic for all the reasons mentioned above.
Plant-based food packaging is becoming increasingly popular in the food service industry, and it won’t be long until this kind of packaging is the norm.
The trend has been predominantly consumer-driven, but many businesses recognise the value this kind of packaging offers. Not only is it a long-term investment in sustainability, minimising your carbon footprint, it’s a powerful marketing tool that sends a clear message to your customers — you care about the planet.
No matter what kind of food or drinks you’re serving, we guarantee you won’t be disappointed with the quality, practicality and sustainability of plant-based packaging.
Visit our online shop and explore our plant-based and eco-friendly packaging range. Want to find out more? Get in touch for more information or a free branded packaging design quote.
As a business owner, you know how vital it is to give your customers a positive and memorable experience. There’s no better way to show your dedication to exceptional service than by providing eco-friendly packaging.
This can make looking for sustainable disposable coffee cups a little tricky since there’s such an extensive range of drinks packaging to choose from.
This guide will help you pick the perfect coffee cups for your café, coffee shop or drinks stall, or any other business selling hot and cold beverages. Let’s get started!
Grande, venti… large? Naming coffee sizes can be complicated. That’s before you get into the types of coffee you may offer, from macchiatos to frappuccinos.
No matter what kind of hot drinks you’re serving, you need the right size coffee cups to suit your drinks menu. This will ensure your customers won’t be left disappointed with their selection — something eclectic coffee names can get in the way of.
Here’s a simple guide to coffee cup sizes for different kinds of coffee:
Each of these designs is available in various sizes. If you like a particular style, you can get multiple sizes for your entire selection of beverages.
Check out ouronline shop and discover a full range of eco-friendly coffee cups.
Different Types of Disposable Coffee Cups
Once you’ve figured out which size packaging you need for your beverages, it’s time to think about the design that’s most appropriate for your menu of drinks — and your budget.
We’ve outlined the most popular styles of coffee cups below, from our most cost-effective packaging to more elaborate and up-market designs:
These cups are made of single-layer paperboard and are best suited to cold drinks. If you’re using these to serve hot drinks, it’s a good idea to pair them with a coffee cup sleeve and even a cautionary message. Simple but effective, these affordable takeaway coffee cups are a popular product choice for eco-conscious businesses on a budget.
Our best-selling coffee cups, double wall designs offer maximum insulation and have immense structural integrity. They’re ideal for hot drinks and are still cost-efficient since customers won’t need a sleeve for hand protection. If you opt for a branded coffee cup, your design will appear bold and bright against the white upper and lower rims.
This design offers similar benefits to double wall coffee cups and will keep your customer’s coffee hotter for longer compared to single-wall cups. The textured surface of these takeaway coffee cups provides excellent insulation and offers more grip, making carrying hot drinks a breeze, even on cold, wet and windy mornings.
You can add branding to each of these coffee cup designs to maximise your presence and exposure. Get in touch for a free design quote.
Disposable coffee cups feature a lining to prevent leaks and spills. If no lining was present, liquids would be absorbed by the packaging and render your coffee cups useless.
The lining of coffee cups can be crafted from different materials. The application of these materials affects the way that coffee cups should be disposed of:
Compostable coffee cups feature a lining made from PLA (polylactic acid), a compostable and biodegradable material. PLA provides a natural, glossy, liquid-resistant barrier. It’s heat resistant too, so it’s ideal for use with hot drinks.
Plus, PLA is a naturally occurring substance, so it’ll break down into organic compounds when it degrades — a process that takes around three to six months under the right conditions.
It’s a more environmentally friendly choice compared to plastics, which take centuries to decompose and degrade into microplastics, especially if they’re disposed of in general waste and end up in landfills.
Opt for PLA-lined coffee cups if there aren’t any recycling points in your customers’ vicinity. Compostable and biodegradable cups don’t cause as much damage to the environment as plastic-based receptacles even if they’re discarded in general waste.
Recyclable coffee cups are crafted with a PE (polyethylene) lining and have a glossy finish on the inside and outside of the packaging. These cups are perfect for hot drinks but are even better for cold or chilled beverages. If condensation forms, the excess moisture won’t be absorbed and spoil the packaging — these coffee cups will stay strong even at cold temperatures.
The internal PE coating prevents liquid from soaking through the wall, while the glossy external coating prevents condensation from moistening the outside of the cup.
Use these cups if there are plenty of recycling points available in your area. Nearly all homes and businesses have recycling points too.
Reusable coffee cups have skyrocketed in popularity over the past few years. Many popular coffee houses have incentivised customers to bring their own receptacles, but this isn’t always convenient.
Plus, reusable coffee cups need to be used up to 250 times before they can be deemed environmentally preferable to disposable cups. That puts a lot of undue pressure on consumers to remember their reusable cup when leaving the house.
So what are the benefits of using single-use coffee cups?
There are three undeniable advantages:
Convenience — As mentioned, disposable cups offer a level of convenience that reusable beverage containers cannot match.
Variety — Multiple sizes and designs make serving various drinks straightforward for businesses and enjoyable for consumers.
Disposability — When paper coffee cups have been used, they can easily be recycled or composted, domestically or commercially.
Since paper cups are made from natural materials, they’re inherently biodegradable. They don’t cause as much harm to the environment as synthetic products — even if they’re thrown away in general waste, they’ll degrade hundreds of years faster than any kind of plastic.
We created a beautiful design for Miss V’s, an independent coffee shop in Cornwall. These coffee cups with lids feature an impressively detailed design that’s both elegant and eye-catching.
The colour design contrasts nicely with the lid and the bottom of the double walled cup, but the real ingenuity is in using sustainable materials. Every aspect of the cup can be recycled, in turn, reducing plastic waste and providing Miss V’s patrons with a caffeine kick — one that doesn’t come with a bad environmental aftertaste.
Interested in branded packaging for your business? Get in touch for a free design quote.
Eco-Friendly Accessories for Hot Drinks
Since the UK banned plastic straws and stirrers in 2020, paper and wooden alternatives have taken their place. There are several essential coffee cup accessories you need to provide a completely eco-friendly service:
Probably the most important to your hot drinks selection are coffee cup lids. Our lids perfectly fit our coffee cups to help prevent leaks and spills, making transporting your hot takeaway drinks risk-free.
We have a selection of compostable cup lids made from bagasse — a natural by-product of sugarcane harvesting — designed to fit our range of paper cups. Each cup lid will fit various cup sizes to make things easy.
If you’re using single wall paper cups to serve hot beverages, coffee cup sleeves will prevent your customers from burning their hands when you serve them their drinks.
These eco-friendly sleeves can be branded and used in conjunction with plain paper cups, allowing you to include advertising or promotions, creating cost-effective branded packaging.
Iced coffees are best enjoyed with a straw. Paper straws make an adequate replacement, but biodegradable straws made from PLA are more sturdy and would be well-suited to frappucino-style drinks.
Wooden stirrers are ideal for customers who want to sweeten their drinks with sugar or add milk.
For orders of multiple hot drinks, our sturdy cup carriers hold up to four beverages. Also available as a two-cup carrier, their cardboard construction makes them completely recyclable and compostable.
They’ll help prevent spills in the car or walking and are particularly useful at festivals or outdoor events.
Eco-Friendly Branded Coffee Cups
Want more from your drinks packaging? Branded paper cups provide a visually appealing and cost-effective way to promote your business.
Alongside our comprehensive standard eco-friendly coffee cups, we can fully customise your packaging to promote your brand. We use water and vegetable-based inks to create deep, vibrant colours, making your packaging stand out sustainably.
Want to add your logo or artwork to these coffee cups? Get in touch for a free design quote and let us help you create awesome branded coffee cups.
With so many packaging options available for food and drinks products, it can be hard to decide on the right takeaway packaging for your business. So, what are the best types of food packaging materials eco-conscious businesses should be using?
Things to Consider When Choosing Food and Drinks Packaging
Long gone are the days of wrapping fish and chips in old newspapers — a practice banned in the 1990s amid health and safety concerns — but there’s still plenty of packaging in use today that’s harmful to humans and bad for the environment.
Picking the most effective packaging will depend on the kind of products you sell. Here are some questions you should ask yourself to get the ball rolling:
Are you serving hot or cold food?
Hot food requires specialised packaging that maintains the desired temperature of your dishes. This is especially important for food deliveries — there’s nothing more disappointing for customers than a cold takeaway.
Frozen or chilled food products should have packaging that’s resistant to moisture and impervious to condensation, like our ice cream tubs.
What kind of drinks are you serving?
Hot beverages must be kept at the right temperature so your customers can enjoy them for longer. The packaging for hot drinks needs good insulating qualities and should also protect your customers from burning themselves or spilling their drink, so cup sleeves and lids should be provided.
Cold or chilled beverages require different packaging altogether. The packaging should keep your drinks cool and showcase your products in all their glory.
Does your packaging showcase your brand?
Your food and drinks packaging should tell customers what you’re about. If your packaging doesn’t feature your logo, artwork or company name, you’re missing out on free advertising when customers order drinks to take away or share your products via social media.
A branded packaging solution can help maximise exposure, awareness and recognition of your unique brand. Get in touch for a free branded packaging quote.
What Are the Best Packaging Materials for Takeaways?
Different packaging materials have different characteristics. There’s no one-size-fits-all option for takeaway food and beverages. What you should use largely depends on the products you sell and the business you operate, be that a café, sushi restaurant, coffee shop, street food van or stall, burger joint or pizza parlour.
We think there are three golden rules for packaging food and drinks:
1. Safety — Packaging must be safe for use with food (food grade), and allergens must be clearly labelled, as per Natasha’s Law.
2. Sustainability — All packaging should be either recyclable, biodegradable, commercially or domestically compostable.
3. Style — People eat with their eyes, and branded packaging makes your menu items look appealing while boosting brand awareness.
Incorporating all three is no mean feat, but you can get surprisingly good results for minimal outlay if you use the right food packaging supplier! Let’s look at a few examples of the best food and drinks packaging materials to help you on your way.
Eco-Friendly Packaging Materials for Takeaway Food
Numerous eco-friendly food packaging types are available for eclectic cuisine, all of which have unique benefits. These packaging alternatives will help you avoid the worst single-use plastics, most of which are food or drink packaging that seriously impacts the environment.
Here are some of the best packaging materials for food directly from our online shop:
Kraft Food Packaging
Unlike plastic-based takeaway containers, Kraft food packaging is recyclable and biodegradable. It’s a popular choice for all kinds of takeaway food. Consumers prefer natural packaging materials like paper, cardboard and Kraft board as they’re all sustainable, lightweight and have a rustic aesthetic.
Kraft packaging is eco-friendly and perfect for hot food. Check out our burger boxes, chip cups, trays and much more.
Bagasse Food Containers
One of the most innovative packaging materials is bagasse. It’s a sturdy, biodegradable and compostable substance made from sugarcane pulp — a natural by-product of sugarcane harvesting. It’s readily accessible and requires minimal processing, yet it’s impressively durable and eco-friendly.
Bagasse packaging is available in a range of designs, including clamshell meal boxes, leak-proof bowls and platters, ideal for all kinds of hot and cold food. It’s a truly versatile packaging material for any over-the-counter food service.
Recycled Cardboard Food Packaging
Classic, sustainable packaging never goes out of fashion. Recycled cardboard food packaging comes in many shapes and sizes. Everything we stock has a high percentage of recycled contents, yet we guarantee a premium finish.
Check out our specialised food grade pizza boxes, lined with Kraft paper on the inside to maximise recyclability by improving grease, oil and moisture resistance. We also stock premium burger boxes, large fish and chips boxes and more, all of which are naturally biodegradable and can be recycled or composted after use.
Oh, and don’t forget about eco-friendly accessories — ensure all the packaging you use is safe, sustainable and stylish.
Sustainable Types of Takeaway Drinks Packaging
Drinks packaging for hot and cold beverages should be cost-effective and convenient, but this has caused endless problems with plastic pollution. The easiest way to minimise plastic waste is to offer your customers eco-friendly packaging alternatives they can dispose of easily and responsibly.
Here are some of the best packaging options for beverages to turn the tide:
Biodegradable Coffee Cups
Constructed using recycled paper and lined with PLA — polylactic acid, a natural, renewable raw material made from corn starch — biodegradable cups are the perfect option for eco-conscious coffee shops and cafés.
Crafted from responsibly sourced and recycled contents, they’re some of the most sustainable disposable cups available.
Clear Bioplastic Cups and Lids
Bioplastic cups are completely biodegradable and resistant to liquids, making them ideal for smoothies, milkshakes, fresh juices and other chilled beverages. Bioplastics are a popular alternative to oil-based plastics since they share many of the same characteristics as their synthetic counterparts, only without the environmental drawbacks.
There’s a big difference between biodegradable plastics and bioplastics.
PLA (polylactic acid) bioplastics are commercially compostable and decompose quickly in a controlled environment.
Biodegradable plastics are oil-based plastics combined with an additive that helps them break down more quickly.
Bioplastics are far more planet-positive than any oil-based plastics on the market, so keep it green with bioplastic cups.
They’re a green substitute for the non-recyclable and non-biodegradable drinks accessories of the past.
Food and Drinks Packaging You Should Avoid
Some types of food and drinks packaging you should avoid altogether. Single-use plastics have an overwhelmingly negative environmental impact, but they’re also hazardous to human health. It’s been proven that people are unwittingly ingesting microplastics all the time, most of which come from plastic-based food and drinks packaging.
So what can you do about it?
It’s simple — avoid cheap, low-quality packaging materials like plastic takeaway containers, cutlery and any other toxic, non-biodegradable products.
Still not convinced of the risks of plastic food packaging? Research conducted by the Harvard Medical School has shown that, when heated, chemicals found in plastic takeaway containers can seep out into your food. These chemicals could seriously affect your customers’ health, which should be all the reason you need to ditch plastic food packaging altogether.
Alternative Takeaway Packaging for Eco-Conscious Businesses
Businesses need safe, hygienic packaging alternatives that won’t affect their customers’ well-being or negatively impact the environment. This has led to a radical rise in eco-friendly packaging alternatives for the food and drinks sector.
None of the packaging materials used to create our sustainable food packaging contain any harmful chemicals, nor do they leave behind any trace of their existence once they decompose.
Plus, most sustainable packaging options have similar or identical characteristics to outdated plastic packaging, making switching to eco-friendly packaging for food and drinks straightforward.
Making the Switch to Sustainable Takeaway Packaging
Sustainable packaging preserves the planet’s resources, protects your customers, minimises pollution and makes your eco-conscious brand stand out. There’s a wealth of awesome planet-positive packaging options for every kind of food vendor and any cuisine you can imagine, and innumerable benefits of switching to green packaging alternatives.
Check out our online shop and explore our range of food and drinks packaging for eco-conscious businesses. Looking for a branded packaging solution? Get in touch with our expert in-house team for more information about how we can help.
Over the past decade, there has been rising concern over climate change and environmental protection. A recent study found that 65% of Brits think climate change is a serious problem — a significant increase from a few years ago.
People are consciously making more sustainable choices, such as recycling food containers and cups and selecting products with sustainability in mind.
But the world of sustainable food packaging can be a bit confusing.
What Are the Different Types of Sustainable Food Packaging?
There are three main types of sustainable food packaging:
But what’s the difference? Is one more sustainable than the others?
There are some key differences between these types of sustainable packaging. And if you’re wondering — it does matter which bin you’re putting your waste in. Here, we break down the best options of sustainable packaging, comparing their advantages and overall impact on the environment.
Recyclable Food Packaging
Recyclable packaging uses materials that can be reprocessed to create new products. Repurposing these materials prevents them from being thrown into a landfill or incinerated, producing toxic chemicals, metals and air pollutants.
You can recycle glass and metal multiple times, but you can only recycle plastic once or twice. Plastic is cheaper to produce than glass or metal, but its finite lifespan greatly outweighs its other benefits.
Myth bust: You know that little recycling symbol you use to distinguish between recyclable products? It’s a resin identification code for the plastic, not a sign that you can recycle the item.
Compostable Food Packaging
Compostable packaging is made from organic materials. It avoids hazardous chemicals used in plastic production and is created by processing naturally renewable resources.
Examples of compostable food packaging include Kraft and bagasse, two eco-friendly materials that share many of the same qualities as plastics without any environmental drawbacks.
The only downside to compostable packaging is that there are only 50 industrial facilities in the UK that are able to process it. However, a lot of products are home compostable, making it easy to dispose of your packaging in your garden or by using a compost bin.
Because compostable packaging is made from organic materials, it is designed to decompose in around six to twelve weeks in appropriate conditions. It has the twofold advantage of disintegrating quickly and enhancing soil quality.
Biodegradable packaging materials also break down naturally over time, but the disintegration process typically takes a little longer — usually around six months, depending on the materials used.
There are many biodegradable packaging options available; however, biodegradable plastics are petroleum-based, like conventional plastic, which can take a while to break down. They leach harmful chemicals back into the environment and typically end up as hazardous microplastics.
Bioplastics — like our bioplastic cups — are derived from organic, plant-based materials like polylactic acid (PLA). They break down without harmful chemicals into the atmosphere, no matter how they’re disposed of.
Recyclable vs Compostable vs Biodegradable Food Packaging
It’s all very well knowing the differences between these types of sustainable food packaging, but what is the best choice for your product?
The polystyrene food containers commonly used in the takeaway industry are unrecyclable and are also a breeding ground for bacteria. That’s why it’s a bad idea to microwave last night’s cheesy chips for lunch.
Let’s look at some greener food packaging alternatives that are more ecologically friendly.
Fastpac Reusable Containers
If you’re searching for a durable food container – look no further. Fastpac reusable containers are leakproof, stackable and incredibly hard-wearing. You can even put these containers in the microwave freezer and dishwasher, meaning you can re-use them again and again. The best part is – at the end of their lifespan – they’re 100% recyclable, so you can throw them in with your recycling guilt-free.
Recyclable bowls & lids are also the way to go, suitable for hot and cold foods and fully recyclable post-takeaway.
Bagasse Clamshell & Tableware
Move aside polystyrene packaging, bagasse clamshell & tableware is the 100% plastic-free alternative. Made from Bagasse sugarcane by-product, the natural fibres don’t absorb oil or water – keeping food fresh for longer. Suitable for chilled or hot food, these clamshells are made from renewable, natural materials and are compostable after use.
Are you in the hot drinks and beverages business? Make a switch to eco cups that are 100% commercially compostable, biodegradable and just as functional as plastic cups. Sourced from sustainably managed forests, these cups are lined with a plant-based Ingeo™ PLA and even come in a clear bioplastic range. Manufactured using plants and not fossil fuels like oil, become keener on being greener.
Going eco-friendly with sustainable packaging is easy and affordable. Why not take that extra step and impress your customers by supporting the green scene?
Looking for Eco-Friendly Food Packaging?
We’re all looking for little ways to protect the planet. Although each type of sustainable packaging has its advantages, compostable food packaging comes out on top. It positively affects the environment without damaging delicate ecosystems, allowing consumers to enjoy a better way to enjoy takeaway food.
Takeaway Packaging is passionate about sustainability. We offer recyclable, compostable and biodegradable food packaging to cater to your green needs. Check out our online shop and switch to eco-friendly packaging.
We’re officially carbon neutral now, too. Find out more about what that means here.
As caregivers, we can’t always be there to entertain our kids. Sometimes we’re busy working, or we’re out for a nice meal, or we just want to relax.
“I’m bored.”
You’ve heard it a thousand times over, it’s probably the most common complaint you’ll hear as a parent. It’s true, and kids need a lot of stimulation. A study has shown that children have higher energy levels than well-trained endurance athletes.
It’s normal for children of all ages to have boundless energy. They don’t just burn physical energy, however. A study found that a child’s brain consumes 43% of all energy used by the body. There’s a lot of learning going on there.
So How Do We Keep Them Entertained?
Giving them your smartphone and tablet might be the easy solution and engross them for hours, but it offers little mental stimulation. The blue light emitted from screens can be harmful to children’s eyes, cause sleep problems and headaches.
There are much better ways to keep your kid busy and inspire creativity in the process.
Kids Activity Packs
An activity pack is a perfect way to keep your kids occupied — inspiring attention to detail and encouraging an active brain. Puzzles help kids develop problem-solving skills and improve memory.
Colouring and artistic activities allow for exploration and experimentation — honing motor skills and even maths from sizes, shapes and spatial reasoning.
Activity packs for kids introduce challenges but enough variety to satisfy a child’s relentless curiosity.
We’ll look more closely at how an activity pack can engage your kid and contribute to their development.
The Educational Benefits of Kids Activity Packs
Activity packs offer multiple learning benefits, such as exercising your kid’s mind with new cognitive challenges.
They’re so educational that the University of Southampton has sent nearly 14,000 activity packs to thousands of low-income families during the pandemic. This was a lifeline for families when schools were closed, and other organisations have followed suit.
Here are a few reasons how activity packs can promote intellectual development in your child:
Improves Cognitive Skills
Through activity packs and books, kids can learn to recognise colours, shapes, numbers and letters. Colouring can teach kids about keeping within the lines of the drawing and observing different patterns. This can enhance their understanding of boundaries and spatial awareness.
Depending on the type of activity pack, kids can practise other skills such as word formation and basic maths. Most kids’ activity packs contain puzzles, which allows your child to acquire problem-solving skills – essential for their development into adulthood.
As kids tend to have a lot of energy, staying still and concentrating is not something that comes naturally. Offering your child an activity pack encourages them to focus and improve their concentration, keeping them absorbed.
Using an activity pack may also prepare your kid for school, so they get used to their homework on paper and various materials and skills they’ll use in the classroom.
Motor Skills Development
Children develop their motor skills as they get older. Simple actions are difficult at first, but they’ll develop these skills quicker if they’re using a crayon or pencil and focusing on their movements.
Colouring also aids hand-eye coordination, where children learn to colour in the lines, think about the colours they’re applying and adjust their hand movements. Practising colouring can promote good handwriting and increased dexterity in future.
Emotional Development
When a child is stressed or unhappy, an activity pack can provide an opportunity to be distracted from their frustration. This helps a child work through their emotions in a positive way.
In addition, completing an activity pack will give your child a sense of accomplishment, inspiring them to take on more challenges and improve their self-esteem.
Where Can I Buy Activity Packs for My Kids?
There are many places you can buy activity packs for your kids, but ours both look better and are better for the environment than a plastic bag.
Takeaway Packaging offers a fun collection of activity packs. Each bag is made of recycled paper with a high-quality print, containing a multi-coloured crayon, themed activity book and different games to play with.
Suitable for four years and older, these activity bags for kids are supplied in a box of 100 units. They are a mix of different designs, so there’s bound to be one that appeals to your children. With a whole variety to choose from, we also include easy-to-dispense counter display trays for retailers.
Should You Use Activity Packs for Kids?
Activity packs are an affordable way to keep the children entertained and are portable while travelling. Whether your customers are dining at your restaurant, or at home enjoying your takeaway, an activity pack can be the perfect way to stimulate and occupy children simultaneously. When the kids are engaged with colouring or problem-solving, they are far less likely to pester for attention or entertainment.
Allow your customers to feel more relaxed on family outings, so they don’t have to amuse their kids constantly. Plus, why not encourage their mental development with a fun and engaging activity pack at the same time.
Like this idea? Check out our kids’ activity packs packaged in high-quality recycled bags to lessen your customer’s stressin’.
Although the UK government has invested in environmental protection, we felt we still needed to do our bit.
That’s why Takeaway Packaging is leading the way in the food packaging industry by embracing carbon reduction. We offset the carbon we produce from your purchase.
We teamed up with Carbon Jacked, professional environmental service experts who measured and analysed our emissions according to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG).
The GHG Protocol is a global standardised framework that manages and measures greenhouse gas emissions. This comprehensive protocol records emissions from public and private sector operations — including value chains — and applies mitigation actions.
Our goal is to make the planet a better place for all.
What Is the Definition of Carbon Neutrality?
But what does being carbon neutral mean?
We balance out any CO2 we release into the atmosphere through our business to achieve carbon neutrality.
This means we remove the same amount of carbon we have released through our company’s activities.
We do this through climate-positive actions that result in carbon neutrality, contributing to a more sustainable future.
More Carbon Footprint Reduction
Yet, we haven’t stopped at achieving carbon neutral status.
We’ve also decided to make all of our products sold through our online shop carbon-neutral too.
We reconsidered our processes, including how the raw materials for our packaging are produced and how our products are transported.
We conducted a rigorous assessment of our hot food containers, cups, accessories and more to see what we could do to reduce our carbon footprint.
We’ve taken on extra accountability by including Scope 3 emissions under the GHG Protocol.
This means our carbon footprint assessment also covers indirect emissions from the supply chain, making the assessment of our environmental impact even more accurate and detailed.
Our sister company, Packaging Supplies, went carbon neutral in February of this year.
By supporting the Indonesian Musi River Hydro Project, we’re finding ways of creating power without damaging surrounding ecosystems. This project is also key to meeting several UN Sustainable Development Goals, which help create jobs for locals and build infrastructure within their communities.
We’re not stopping here.
We know that fighting climate change is an uphill battle, so we’ll continue to strive to become the most sustainable takeaway food packaging supplier in the UK.
Remove your takeaway guilt with biodegradable and carbon neutral packaging. Browse our food boxes and carriers today and begin your journey to becoming more eco-friendly.
Food manufacturers are constantly looking for ways to preserve the freshness of their products to prolong their shelf life. With news that plastic packaging doesn’t prolong the shelf-life of fruit and vegetables, other common yet concerning packaging methods are being called into question.
The industry attempts to curb food spoilage by adding nitrogen in food packaging to promote longevity and slow the deterioration of food. Dried packaged foods such as crisps are filled with excess nitrogen to extend their shelf-life.
Nitrogen is a colourless, odourless gas often used to make things like explosives and fertilisers. These items aren’t exactly staples on our shopping list, making it confusing to think that the same gas has long been used in food packaging.
Why is nitrogen gas used in food packaging?
In short, it helps preserve food and keep it fresh.
Here, we’ll break down the process of using nitrogen gas in food packaging and why we at Takeaway Packaging are taking a different approach to support the food industry and protect the planet.
The Truth about Nitrogen Gas in Food Packaging
Nitrogen gas was introduced in food packaging as our populations grew and demand for food increased.
This kickstarted mass production as major supermarkets recognised that the need for food surpassed what farmers in a close radius could produce. When this happened, distributors needed to ensure they could deliver food of the same quality and freshness, even though they were shipping products over long distances (and sometimes overseas).
Using nitrogen is an easy way to accomplish this. Nitrogen does not contain oxygen or moisture, preserving the quality of the food. As Nitrogen is also odourless and tasteless, it won’t affect the flavour of the food. It is used a lot in dry foods, in particular, which need to remain crisp and fresh.
The most common way of introducing nitrogen into food packaging is through a nitrogen generator. Nitrogen generators allow the gas to be added to the packaging process quickly and efficiently, making them ideal for a factory setting.
Adding nitrogen gas to packaging has been continually adopted by distributors because of its cost-efficiency.
Using nitrogen offers a quick path to profit. Since more products can be made and shipped without a difference in quality and flavour, suppliers have championed this practice. It’s certainly convenient for us…
But what about the environment?
Food packaging that uses gases like nitrogen is detrimental to the environment. The process manipulates the natural form of the product, known as “modified atmosphere packaging”, which substitutes the atmospheric air of the package with gas — all in the name of providing the artificially “fresh” products that we consume.
Is Nitrogen Gas Bad for the Environment?
Nitrogen pollution is often overlooked as carbon pollution takes centre stage in the news.
That doesn’t mean this type of gas can’t be deadly.
Nitrogen contributes to particulate matter (small particles that aren’t safe for human consumption). These particles compromise air quality, producing pollutants such as ammonia and ozone, causing a thick haze in some of the world’s most treasured national parks and cities.
As nitrogen becomes part of the environment, the air becomes more acidic, causing devastating effects on natural resources. Among these are:
Water Pollution — The imbalance of nutrients in coastal waters and lakes causes them to become acidic, harming the health of ecosystems. This can damage weak crops and woodlands sensitive to a change in environment.
Acid rain is one of the most visible forms of climate change, where entire cities are engulfed in a thick layer of what looks like smoke.
Knowing this makes it hard to understand why nitrogen is still being used
— or worse, that it’s fashionable in cocktails for added theatre. We’re not considering nitrogen’s impact on climate change.
Does Nitrogen Prevent Food Waste?
If food packaging is made more stable by using nitrogen, the package enables the product to remain fresh for a longer period. In turn, this can stop bacteria from growing and help to prevent spoilage.
In this sense, this practice does prevent food waste, so surely it’s a good thing, right?
Unfortunately, even though nitrogen can preserve food for longer and decrease the likelihood of food waste, it is still bad for the environment. Nitrogen generators used on a packaging site produce a continuous stream of gas that contributes to air and nutrient pollution.
Nitrogen-Free Food Packaging
Nitrogen is used in products where air needs to be locked into the package to maintain the food’s optimal state. Nitrogen is commonly used in dried foods with a typically long shelf-life, such as crisps, nuts and cheese to meet the demand for pre-packaged food products.
To eliminate the use of nitrogen in food packaging, we need to change two things:
The materials we use to package products (and make this industry-wide).
Our collective mindset about food consumption and our opinion on long-shelf-life foods.
These challenges involve those in the industry and its consumers, making eliminating nitrogen in food packaging a long-term challenge.
It’s no secret Takeaway Packaging is a huge advocate (and supplier) of products that use natural packaging.
Our mission focuses on reducing the environmental impact of waste.
We use natural packaging that doesn’t require any harmful processes. Our materials come in the form of sugar cane and unbleached kraft pulp as part of our Carbon Neutral promise.
We never use nitrogen to enhance a product artificially — a practice we would love to see adopted by major supermarkets and restaurants worldwide.
Adding nitrogen gas to packaging was first made popular by our obsession with pre-packed foods, but now consumers have the power to reverse the trend by changing their buying habits.
With the recent rise of veganism, we’ve already seen the masses turn to diet as a key way to be more environmentally friendly.
What Can I Do?
Each time you open a packet of crisps, dried fruits or nuts in a similar container, you’re releasing nitrogen into the environment. Just like carbon emissions, this action pollutes the air, compromising our source of oxygen. Plastic packets are also hard to recycle and threaten wildlife and sealife, as they take years to decompose.
Although packaged products like these might be marketed as desirable, it’s key to remember looks can be deceiving. Often, products altered by gas will be starved of oxygen, meaning they only appear to be fresh.
Still want a packet of crisps?
One way to be mindful of your nitrogen footprint is to avoid eating a diet full of animal products, as nitrogen is used in today’s commercial crop fertilisers.
And if you feel passionate about keeping the earth’s air free from pollution, curb your crisp habit. Opt for foods without packaging or in natural packaging, like fresh fruits and nuts in a biodegradable or compostable pot. It’s time to start being kinder to your health and the planet.
“Biodegradable” roughly translates to “somewhat better for the environment” in the packaging world. With a whole host of biodegradable packaging options available for food and drinks products, bioplastics offer an eco-friendly alternative to standard plastic packaging for food and drinks.
So what are bioplastics, and are bioplastics better for the environment than other similar packaging materials?
What Are Bioplastics?
Bioplastics are made from materials derived from biological substances rather than petroleum. They’re created using the sugar present in plants, typically sugarcane, sugar beets, wheat, or potatoes. Bioplastics are inherently renewable, unlike conventional plastics since they’re made from entirely natural, organic, plant-based materials.
The process of creating bioplastics is a world apart from conventional plastics, but they still share similar properties and characteristics to oil-based plastics, only without the environmental drawbacks. This makes bioplastics an excellent option for eco-conscious businesses and a no-brainer for green-minded consumers.
Are Bioplastics and Biodegradable Plastics the Same?
While the terms are used seemingly interchangeably, bioplastics and biodegradable plastics are not the same.
Bioplastics are made from plant-based materials like polylactic acid (PLA) that break down naturally under specific conditions. Biodegradable plastics are made with petroleum-based materials that aren’t inherently biodegradable.
Additives like starch are incorporated to enhance biodegradation, making oil-based plastics slightly better for the planet. You can expect very similar performance from both kinds of plastics, but which has more environmental benefits?
Are Bioplastics Better for the Environment?
Bioplastics are easily the more environmentally-friendly option since biodegradable plastics are petroleum-based — just like conventional plastics. Bioplastics don’t contain any harmful substances from hazardous chemicals like phthalates, nor do they break down into microplastics that are incredibly bad for the earth, particularly marine life.
Performance should always be a priority when selecting packaging. So how do bioplastics stack up against other packaging materials? Bioplastics are crafted from plant-based substances. The plant-based oils found in most bioplastics enhance their performance, making them less brittle and more flexible. Other plastics are prone to cracking or splitting, but bioplastic cups are up to the task of carrying liquids.
For example, a typical pint cup is expected to be transparent, slightly flexible and durable. If it’s made using Ingeo™ PLA Bioplastic — our bioplastic of choice — you can expect similar or better performance from your super-sustainable packaging.
That’s not all. When used in hot drinks packaging, bioplastic linings provide a moisture-resistant barrier that reduces the likelihood of leaks and spills without the need for non-biodegradable plastic. This dramatically improves waste management and recyclability as a result.
What Are the Advantages of Bioplastics?
Bioplastics share similar properties to conventional plastics, but several compelling reasons make them the most favourable packaging option for forward-thinking businesses:
1. Fewer Carbon Emissions
Bioplastics produce significantly fewer greenhouse gases than conventional plastics over their lifespan. From manufacturing to disposal, fewer emissions are generated than other forms of plastic; less energy is required to produce bioplastics, and less carbon is produced when bioplastic waste is processed, especially when compared to generic mixed plastic waste. As a carbon-neutral packaging supplier,
2. Enhanced Biodegradability
Bioplastics will biodegrade naturally over time under the right conditions, unlike other plastics. Bioplastics will naturally decompose in three to six months, but the average plastic takeaway container may take around 450 years to disintegrate. Even when it does, conventional plastics release toxins back into the environment, further damaging the planet.
Bioplastics can be recycled before they start to degrade. This helps consumers dispose of their waste responsibly and extends the lifespan of the bioplastic packaging materials further, allowing them to be repurposed before they perish.
We typically imagine plastics to be infinitely durable and long-lasting, but you can only recycle plastics two or three times. This is problematic, as most non-biodegradable plastics start to perish after being recycled just once, meaning the vast amount of energy and resources required to manufacture the materials in the first place is somewhat wasted.
When plastics become unsuitable for repurposing, you must discard them. Most non-biodegradable plastics spend the rest of their life clogging up landfills or polluting the oceans. Bioplastic packaging will degrade much more safely and quickly than its synthetic counterparts, making it a much more planet-friendly option.
4. Less Plastic Pollution
Bioplastics are compostable at commercial facilities, meaning less recycling or general waste to manage. All that’s left behind after using a bioplastic cup or a PLA-lined takeaway container are its natural components since bioplastic packaging is derived from natural substances. This also means that these items have no chemicals or toxins left behind, reducing waste pollution and atmospheric pollution.
5. Improved Food Safety
Biodegradable products are made using naturally occurring substances. As a result, they don’t contain harmful chemicals or pose any risks to intended users. Non-recyclable plastics — such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the plastic used to create water bottles — bioplastics don’t attract harmful bacteria or leach chemicals back into the environment, making them practical, eco-friendly options as food and drink packaging.
There’s only so much crude oil left on earth. Based on current consumption levels, we can expect around 47 more years of oil before it’s all gone. After that, the world will have no other option but to switch to sustainable alternatives.
Hydrocarbon gas liquids (HGLs) account for 18% of the total oil consumption in the world. HGLs are used for the production of plastics, among other things. By switching to bioplastics, we could curb oil consumption and preserve the planet’s finite, non-renewable resources.
7. Better for Business
Around three-quarters of consumers would pay more for sustainable products, making bioplastics an excellent option for eco-conscious businesses. In addition, two-thirds of consumers say they would be less likely to purchase products if they knew the packaging was harmful to the environment, which makes conventional plastic packaging a lot less appealing.
The shift towards sustainable packaging has been primarily consumer-driven, but multinational corporations in the food and drink sector have taken notice. The market for bioplastics is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years as renowned brands start to switch from conventional plastics to forward-thinking alternatives.
Should You Switch to Bioplastic Packaging?
Bioplastics are an innovative solution to the world’s problems with conventional plastics. They’re almost indistinguishable from petroleum-based plastics, but they come with an array of environmental benefits. Bioplastic packaging preserves the planet’s natural resources and gives people more options to dispose of packaging responsibly, making them a much more eco-friendly packaging solution.
Head to our online shop and discover eco-friendly bioplastic packaging for food and drinks items. Need a branded packaging solution? Get in touch for a free design quote.
Is greaseproof paper recyclable, or should it go in the general waste bin? Find out with Takeaway Packaging.
Greaseproof paper has many uses in the kitchen and in takeaway packaging. It’s a lot like paper but with added fat, grease and oil-repellent properties. This raises the question: is greaseproof paper recyclable?
Simply put, most greaseproof paper is not recyclable.
The properties that make greaseproof paper so useful in cooking, baking and packaging are the same properties that make it unsuitable for recycling. While some forms of greaseproof paperhave eco-friendly credentials, let’s look at why most greaseproof paper isn’t recyclable.
Sometimes referred to as baking paper or parchment paper, greaseproof paper is typically a sheet of unbleached paper with a specialised silicone coating. This coating provides a heat-proof, non-stick surface, making it indispensable in cooking, baking and food packaging. Regular paper is readily recyclable, meaning it can be repurposed to create all kinds of products, like takeaway paper bags, but greaseproof paper is different.
Why Isn’t Greaseproof Paper Recyclable?
The main reason greaseproof paper isn’t recyclable is its silicone coating. This can’t be adequately processed by recycling machinery, meaning it should go directly to general waste, even if unused.
Any greaseproof paper that comes into contact with greasy or oily food shouldn’t be recycled. While the paper protects the surface of the packaging or baking tin during usage, it’s spoiled in the process. Contaminated recycling is a big problem, and the best way to avoid contaminating other recyclable rubbish is by putting spoiled greaseproof paper straight in the bin.
Is Greaseproof Paper Bad for the Environment?
Most brands of greaseproof paper aren’t recyclable, so does that mean all baking paper is bad for the environment? Not necessarily.
Our compostable greaseproof paper is made from 100% virgin pulp and manufactured with a specialised oil protection system. The unique composition of tightly compacted fibres makes it impermeable to oil, grease, fat and moisture without the need for a silica-based coating.
Since it’s free from non-recyclable and non-biodegradable compounds, it can be recycled or composted commercially or at home. Under the right conditions, it’ll degrade in three to six months, so you don’t have to feel guilty about using it.
If you’re looking for a branded solution, why not check out our custom printed greaseproof paper? It’s the same compostable qualities as our standard greaseproof paper, but it’s also PEFC certified for good measure.
Is Greaseproof Paper the Same as Waxed Paper?
Waxed and greaseproof papers are different products. Greaseproof paper is best suited to cooking, baking and food packaging due to its heat-resistant and non-stick surface, whereas you should only use waxed paper to line dishes and trays that won’t go in the oven. While waxed paper features a non-stick coating, it’s not heat resistant, and the coating will melt if exposed to high temperatures.
Should You Use Greaseproof Paper or Aluminium Foil?
It all depends on what you’re using it for. Aluminium foil is best for high-heat cooking like grilling. As a metal, it has an extremely high heat resistance and is also recyclable if it hasn’t come into contact with food. That doesn’t mean that it can’t be overheated, though. In some circumstances, it can end up sticking to your food, which isn’t good. Consider that aluminium takes centuries to decompose if it ends up as landfill waste, so it’s best used sparingly.
Greaseproof paper is better for low-heat cooking like baking and benefits from being compostable. It’s also much more suited to food packaging, like our food-grade pizza boxes lined with Kraft-based paper that improves recycling rates and keeps your customers’ food hot, fresh and delicious. Under the right conditions, it’ll degrade entirely in as little as three to six months, so your patrons can enjoy guilt-free takeaways.
Can You Get Printed Greaseproof Paper?
Are you looking for stylish and sustainable greaseproof paper? Getcustom printed greaseproof paperwith your artwork or logo and give your brand a boost. Whether you want to give your Instagram content a branded edge or make your takeaway business the envy of your rivals, our branded packaging solutions are eco-friendly and make for super effective marketing.
Get in touch for a free custom design quote, or check out our online shop and discover recyclable, compostable and biodegradable packaging for all kinds of food and drinks.
We all know the importance of sustainable packaging. With plenty of recyclable options available, what about compostable food packaging?
Composting has a vital role in securing a sustainable future for the planet. While it’s been common practice for millennia, it’s somewhat overlooked in modern society. In fast-paced consumerism that’s all about convenience, compostable packaging for food and drinks might be the most eco-friendly disposable-packaging option on the market.
As part of International Compost Awareness Week, we’re helping businesses raise awareness about the importance of this simple yet incredibly important process that could help save the planet.
International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) takes place every year during the first full week of May. This year, it takes place between the 1st and 7th May 2022.
2022’s instalment is all about raising awareness about the benefits of composting for regenerative agriculture. This is a system focused on improving soil quality to produce healthier, more nutrient-rich crops. It also helps remove carbon from the atmosphere through enhanced carbon sequestration — the process of capturing and storing carbon to combat climate change.
While compost heaps in your back garden benefit the local environment, commercial composting facilities across the country — and the globe — are optimised for creating huge amounts of enriched compost that supports regenerative agriculture at the highest level.
Organisations that utilise composting at every level can slash their carbon footprint and contribute to a greener society. So how does composting work, and how can you get involved in ICAW 2022?
How Does Composting Work?
Composting is an entirely natural process that can transform everyday waste into nutrient-dense food for the planet. It’s an entirely natural process, but it relies on specific conditions to work.
Just like your kitchen staff pull together the finest ingredients to create mouth-watering food and drinks, composting needs a few key components:
Brown Materials — These are solid, carbon-based forms of organic matter. Everything, including sawdust and crushed eggshells to compostable food packaging like brown paper bags, can be added to the mix.
Green Materials — These are less solid, nitrogen-based components, such as food scraps*, coffee grounds, flowers and even mouldy bread (finally, somewhere to put your end pieces).
*Be sure to avoid meat, fish or dairy products; they’ll interfere with the composting process and produce a rancid smell.
The composting process requires air, moisture and heat. Compost bins or heaps can facilitate the right environment for effective composting. The process can take several weeks, months or even a year, but the end product of composting is compost.
What Actually Is Compost?
Compost is a nutrient-rich mixture of decomposed organic matter.
It’s formed with the help of bacteria, fungi, insects and other microorganisms. These tiny beings break down organic materials and food waste into their simplest elements. The result is an all-natural fertiliser that’s hugely beneficial to the planet.
When compost is ready, it looks like rich, dark soil, but it’s got some surprisingly potent properties.
How Does Composting Benefit the Environment?
Compost is used in agriculture to enrich the earth and improve soil quality. It does this by balancing pH levels, maintaining soil structure and retaining moisture in the ground. In turn, this helps the plants and microorganisms responsible for supporting life on earth survive and thrive.
Across the world, a tremendous amount of food is wasted. Around 9.5 million tonnes of food waste is generated annually in the UK alone, about 15% of which is produced by the hospitality and retail sectors. By moving table scraps to composting receptacles, less of this food waste will be in vain.
So, where does compostable food packaging fit into the equation?
There’s a bit of confusion around “biodegradable” and “compostable” food packaging that needs clearing up. It all depends on the materials used. Cardboard and paper-based packaging are compostable, but they’ll take longer to decompose than bagasse packaging, which is made from 100% natural, plant-based materials.
Compostable packaging can be composted at commercial facilities or at home, but it’s worth noting that domestic composting isn’t as efficient as the larger, purpose-built facilities.
Composting also requires commitment. It doesn’t simply happen overnight, as most compost takes several weeks or months to become usable, depending on the surrounding conditions. During busy service periods, it can be hard to make sure staff put food waste in the composting bin, but the more brown and green materials that go into the composting bin, the better your compost will be, and the more you’ll be helping the environment.
How to Support International Compost Awareness Week
Here are some easy ways your business can promote International Composting Awareness Week 2022:
Plus, it’s much easier to dispose of compostable cutlery and napkins. They can simply be added to your composting receptacles along with food waste, so long as you can balance out green and brown materials.
2. Take Action on Food Waste
Apps like Too Good To Go are great for the environment and your bottom line. You can sell your unused ingredients and cuisine at a discounted price to reduce food waste. It also gives people a chance to get discount grub, which is handy due to the rising cost of living. By giving people a cheaper way to dine with you, you’re promoting your brand as an advocate for eco-friendly habits.
3. Spread the Word
The vast majority of people don’t compost, mainly due to a lack of time and motivation. Compost bins can be kept in the smallest kitchens or gardens, allowing everyone to take part in creating nutritious food for the planet simply by reorganising their waste. Composting doesn’t have to become an unmanageable mess; simply raising awareness about how simple it is could make a big difference.
Don’t forget to use the hashtags #ICAW2022 and #CompostWeekUK if you’re planning on posting about the event on your social media accounts.
Thinking of Switching to Compostable Food Packaging?
Plastic-based packaging like polystyrene may be cheap, but if current trends continue, it’s only a matter of time before these forms of unsustainable packaging are taxed or outright banned.
By swapping non-compostable packaging for compostable cups and takeaway containers, businesses can dramatically reduce their company’s carbon footprint and make a positive impact on the environment, locally and globally.
Small changes make a big difference. If you’re ready to go green, we’ve got the compostable, biodegradable and recyclable food packaging you need.
Visit our online shop and discover compostable food packaging that helps protect the planet. Looking for a branded packaging solution that’s eco-friendly? Get in touch for a free design quote from our expert in-house team.
Food waste is killing the planet. Here’s how you can turn the tide during Food Waste Action Week with Takeaway Packaging.
About one-third of food produced worldwide goes to waste. In the UK alone, around 9.5 million tonnes of food waste is generated annually, which makes up 22% of all the food purchased by consumers. While that’s slightly better than the global statistic, it still means that for every meal Brits eat, nearly a quarter goes straight in the bin.
Figures for household food waste have improved over the past 15 years, but there are several ways businesses and consumers could do more to combat the problem. We’re doing our part ahead of Food Waste Action Week.
This year’s Food Waste Action Week event aims to raise awareness about food wastage. It hopes to create lasting change and help the UK meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, one of which is to halve global food waste by 2030. It takes place between 7-13th March 2022. After the success of Food Waste Action Week 2021, countless high-profile organisations have become partners, including Aldi, KFC, Danone, IHG Hotels & Resorts and Ocado Retail.
Why Is So Much Food Wasted?
It’s shocking to discover how much food is wasted in the UK and internationally. At a time when food banks cannot meet demand, it’s clear that the world is in a bizarre paradox: millions of people go hungry every day, while others throw away endless amounts of perfectly edible food.
To figure out why so much food is wasted and tackle the issue head-on, we need to look at consumer behaviour and understand why that behaviour occurs.
WRAP identified some reasons why people throw away food:
– Buying Too Much Food — The most common reason people waste food is that they buy too much. Whether it’s at the supermarket, restaurants or ordering takeaways, having too much food means some will always end up going to waste.
– Preparing Too Much Food — Cooking large meals and leaving food on your plate at meal times leads to wastage, but the issue also relates to batch cooking meals. While batch cooking is a great way to consistently eat healthily and reduce food preparation time, everything you make should be eaten to minimise waste.
– Food Spoils Before It’s Eaten — You might have good intentions when buying fresh produce, but if it spoils before you get a chance to eat it, you’re wasting food and money. Dried, canned or tinned food last longer than fresh produce, so it’s good to have a mix of both in your weekly shop.
Of course, these issues are much closer to home than food loss — taking place during production, storage and distribution of food in the global supply chain — but food waste remains a pervasive and preventable problem.
Easy Ways to Reduce Food Waste
The average UK household throws away £700 worth of food annually, so there’s plenty of incentive to slash food waste — it could save you hundreds of pounds a year.
Here are a few handy ways to reduce food wastage:
– Plan Your Meals — Meal planning means less waste. Purchasing produce that’ll be prepared, cooked and consumed almost straight away makes sure everything you buy gets used. Mapping out what you’re eating for breakfast, lunch and dinner — and perhaps a few snacks in between — takes forethought and commitment, but it saves money, reduces food waste and protects the planet.
– Get Savvy with Apps — Too Good To Gosells surplus food at discounted prices from eco-conscious restaurants, coffee houses, sandwich bars and other food and drinks outlets. This helps consumers get good value meals that’d otherwise go to waste, and it also helps businesses’ bottom lines, giving them something in return for meals that’d otherwise end up in the dumpster outside.
– Donate Surplus Food — Food banks help to feed those in need, but rely on your goodwill and support. Over 90% of food distributed by food banks in the Trussell Trust network — the largest food bank operator in the UK — is donated by the public. Food donations are crucial, but other household essentials are welcome, including toiletries and hygiene products. There are plenty of other ways to donate to food banks to help out too, including cash donations.
– Introduce Portion Control — If there’s always food left on your plate, consider implementing portion control. Weighing out ingredients and sticking to tried-and-tested recipes will mean you’re eating the right amount without going hungry or wasting food.
– Optimise Food Storage — A messy fridge can lead to forgetting about food. Use glass containers or beeswax wraps to keep food fresh, and keep things that spoil the quickest towards the front of your fridge so you can consume them before they go off.
If you’re wondering about ways to prevent food loss as well as food wastage, buying local produce — or supporting businesses that use local produce — is a simple way you can shorten the food supply chain, which, in turn, reduces the likelihood of food loss.
Reducing Food Waste with Packaging
Part of the food waste problem relates to packaging. Stopping food from spoiling as it moves through the supply chain is essential, but that plastic-clad broccoli in the supermarket contributes to plastic pollution, an equally concerning global problem.
There’s a trade-off between making food last long enough and creating plastic waste, and while zero waste shops are a great initiative that is forcing supermarkets to think more ecologically, they are less cost-effective to the average consumer and are not yet well established.
So what about takeaways?
Those plastic takeaway containers aren’t suitable for food storage. They’re potentially hazardous to human health and do nothing for the environment. This is where the right packaging makes all the difference. Our eco-friendly packaging helps keep food fresh from kitchen to counter. You can serve hot or cold food that stays at the right temperature, giving customers an enjoyable and waste-free experience.
Check out our online shop and discover recyclable, compostable and biodegradable food packaging that minimise food and packaging waste. Looking for a branded packaging solution to show off your eco-friendly credentials? Get in touch for a free design quote.
Takeaways only taste as good as they look — that’s a scientific fact. No matter how delicious your dishes are, the poor presentation can lead to disappointment. If you’re serving carefully prepared cuisine for a premium price, impressing your clientele with fantastic, sustainable packaging should be a priority.
But restaurant-level presentation for takeaway food and drinks is hard to achieve. There are plenty of factors to consider — will dishes be served over-the-counter or via delivery? What packaging should you use? How will your presentation differ from a sit-down service?
Let’s look at how premium food packaging can elevate your offering and enhance your customers’ takeaway experience by making your takeaways all the more presentable.
From the finest Michelin-star restaurants to local street food vans, the presentation of different dishes has the power to pique customers’ interest and amplify their appetites.
In a restaurant setting, the smell of the ingredients, the sound of the food being cooked and the visual appeal of beautifully presented food are sufficient to influence the taste of the food itself. As waiting staff carry dishes from the kitchen to the diner’s tables, all of these elements are at play, transporting your customers to a world full of flavour.
When serving takeaways, nearly all of these aspects are lost.
Although the hospitality sector is making a comeback, many people opt to order takeaway food from their favourite spots — or eat at home. In turn, they’re missing out on these crucial factors that make food so enjoyable, putting even more emphasis on fantastic food presentation.
The Benefits of Excellent Food Presentation
There’s more to making your food look good than flexing your creative flair. Magnificently prepared food has other benefits too:
– Enhances the Dining Experience — Being served a well-presented meal makes all the difference to diners, whether they’re at home or dining out. Perfecting your food presentation can make the experience memorable, shareable and ultimately repeatable. Bring people back by showing care and attention to detail.
– Sparks Interest — Do you have a creative chef who can make an impression with their culinary talents? Interesting looking dishes are intriguing to customers. Even if the core elements remain the same, a fresh approach can be impactful. Adopting a quirky, alternative approach will capture your customers’ imagination.
– Builds Your Brand’s Reputation — Over half of people take pictures of their food, with 20% of those snapping food they’ve ordered. Instagram-able food that looks amazing is easy yet effective marketing, so don’t miss out on the chance to promote your brand with user-generated content.
– Generates Sales and Revenue — While we don’t condone overeating, excellent food presentation makes the question “room for dessert?” an easy one to answer. You’ll sell more food and drinks if they’re properly presented, as patrons will want to experience even more delectable delights.
Premium food presentation isn’t easily translated to takeaways, but you can implement a few techniques to upgrade your takeout experience.
How to Use Premium Food Packaging for Takeaways
Plating up meals for sit-down service is simpler than serving takeaway cuisine, but it’s not impossible. You can create delectable dishes your customers crave with a tactful approach and premium food packaging.
1. Reimagine Restaurant-Style Dishes
Plating up your food isn’t the same as boxing it up for delivery. You’ll need to take a different approach to present your food. For example, serving a Sunday roast in one takeaway container asks for trouble. Instead, opting for separate snack boxes for each aspect is a novel and effective way to get your food from A to B without it arriving in a soggy mess.
Separating your food keeps the takeouts fun and greatly helps when serving dishes with more than a few components. Food packaging with compartments can be used to great effect without giving off the sombre “TV dinner” vibe. Plus, if you’re serving Mexican food, you can use food packaging like taco inserts to ensure dishes can be eaten the correct way, allowing your customers to enjoy a real fiesta of flavour.
2. Use Premium Food Packaging
Your dishes lose freshness the moment they leave the kitchen. By the time your customers are tucking into their takeaways, their food might’ve gone cold, resulting in a fairly dismal experience.
Use premium food packaging like our luxury-quality eco-friendly food boxes to keep your food looking, smelling and tasting appealing. They keep food at the desired temperature until customers are ready to eat. Steam holes minimise condensation on the inside of the boxes, and Kraft paper liners absorb moisture, oil and grease. Not only does this improve your food presentation, but it also helps improve recycling rates.
3. Put Your Stamp on Your Dishes
“The Golden Arches” of the McDonald’s logo are unmistakable. The red and yellow colourway feature on almost everything, including their food packaging — notably the packaging of their fries. This serves to support McDonald’s brand messaging and enhance the appearance of their food.
You can achieve similar success with branded packaging. Creating continuity is an easy way to create memorable experiences for your customers. Get it right, and they’ll always want to come back for more.
4. Engage Your Customers With Assorted Packaging
Bring the dine-in experience home with eco-friendly food packaging that engages your customers instead of leaving them wondering how to approach eating their takeout. Separate your dishes with the appropriate packaging to clarify how your customers should enjoy their takeaways.
Noodle boxes are perfect for Eastern cuisine, but they’re also well-suited to hot and cold appetisers, starters and sides. Similarly, eco-bowls with lids can house all kinds of food, including sauces, dips and soups. The lids will minimise spillages while the PLA-lined packaging ends with leaky packaging. To finish, why not opt for aesthetically pleasing cake boxes that make your sweet treats even more delectable.
5. Appeal to Your Customers’ Senses
There’s nothing worse than a bland takeaway that’s lost all of its appeal before being delivered. The appropriate packaging can improve presentation without detracting from the alluring aspects of your food. Bagasse packaging — made from naturally compostable sugarcane pulp — is ideal for hot and cold dishes, since it won’t absorb any moisture or natural aromas from your freshly prepared cuisine.
Ordering Eco-Friendly Premium Food Packaging
Excellent food presentation can set your brand apart. It’s an opportunity for talented chefs, bakers and food creators to showcase their skills and present mouthwatering food and drinks. Since the takeaway trend sees no sign of stopping, it’s up to restaurateurs and food outlet managers to deliver restaurant-quality food with added convenience. Take on the challenge with premium food packaging that won’t let you down.
Check out our online shop and discover eco-friendly food packaging your customers will love. Looking for a branded packaging solution? Get in touch with us today for a free design quote.
From preparing your favourite meal or giving the dog his dinner, there are plenty of times when we’re left with raw meat packaging waste. But what’s the best way to safely and responsibly dispose of these various containers, trays and wraps?
Food packaging can be confusing at the best of times and often a nightmare to deal with if you’re an eco-conscious person, but we’ve got some top tips on how to dispose of raw meat packaging.
Raw meat packaging differs a lot depending on what you buy and where you buy it. A local butcher will probably use different packaging from major supermarket chains due to differences in how the meat is sourced. Raw meat needs to be preserved in a long supply chain, and specialised packaging is used. If meat is sourced locally, less packaging — or a different type of packaging — could be used.
This means that you could buy almost identical cuts of meat from the butcher and from the supermarket that use entirely different packaging. So how do you know which packaging is recyclable?
How Do You Know If Packaging Is Recyclable?
Each type of packaging has different qualities and credentials, making it important to understand the various packaging symbols to know which packaging can be recycled. This can help you make more sustainable choices when doing your food shop.
For example, Tesco’s unsmoked bacon medallions are wrapped in transparent plastics. This isn’t the most eco-friendly way to package raw produce since each component has different waste instructions. The thin, plastic film lid is classed as “Not Yet Recycled”, but the sturdier, plastic base instructs to “Check Locally.” It’s entirely likely that you won’t be able to recycle this kind of packaging in your area.
Conversely, this branded unsmoked bacon from Naked Bacon has a piece of film, an instruction sleeve, and a dark plastic tray. Like Tesco’s bacon, the thin protective film is “Not Yet Recycled.” The card sleeve, however, is “Widely Recycled”, while the plastic tray fits into the “Check Locally” category. Even though there are some differences between the two products and their packaging, neither is all that eco-friendly.
On both products, the thin transparent sleeve is non-recyclable, making the product a bad buy for conscious consumers. These fragile plastics easily fragment and, as they slowly degrade, form microplastics — hazardous, shard-like pieces of plastic that cause no end of harm to the planet and our well-being.
Which Plastics Can Be Recycled?
As a general rule, thin, flimsy plastics cannot be recycled. Thicker, more durable plastics are more likely to be recyclable. Both types of plastics are widely used and are often accompanied by instructions on how to dispose of them correctly. If the packaging says “Check Locally”, you should visit Recycle Now to find out whether or not your local council’s waste facilities can recycle your packaging.
The BBC found that some councils are generous with what plastic packaging they accept, others accept none at all:
Sometimes, it’s not made abundantly clear what to do with the packaging that accompanies your purchase, or you’ve accidentally torn off the bit of packaging that told you what to do with it once it’d been used. In this instance, your best bet is to throw it away in general waste.
Wishful recycling or “wishcycling” is when you put something in the recycling bin, hoping it will be recycled, even though there may be little evidence to support your actions. This can do more harm than good since most recycling facilities in the UK don’t have the specialised machinery to sort through mountains of mixed plastic packaging, meaning it may all end up in landfills.
Why Is So Much Plastic Used in Raw Meat Packaging?
The packaging used for raw meat is similar to that of ready meals, pre-prepared foods like pre-made mashed potatoes or roasties. Usually, these foods feature a plastic film lid and a sturdier plastic tray or bowl. But why don’t we avoid plastic packaging altogether when it comes to raw meat?
Despite its detrimental effects on the environment, transparent plastic plays an important role in raw meat packaging since customers need to see the meat product itself, whether it’s sirloin steak or smoked salmon. What’s more, it’s vital that meat packaging is sealed — sometimes vacuum-sealed in the case of red meat portions or fish — to avoid oxygen and water vapour entering the product and discolouring the meat.
Other kinds of packaging aren’t as effective in this area, so plastic raw meat packaging is here to stay until compostable or biodegradable alternatives become more widely available.
How to Recycle Raw Meat Packaging
If you strike gold and find recyclable raw meat packaging, disposing of the materials safely and hygienically is crucial. How you treat the packaging matters as recycling centres won’t accept contaminated products or products that have meat residue on them.
You should rinse raw meat packaging carefully before you put it in the recycling bin so that the material won’t attract vermin or contaminate other recyclable products in the same disposal bin.
Unfortunately, meat is one of the messiest products to deal with. Residue can spoil quickly and can quickly become hazardous to health. That’s why supermarkets continue to provide separate bags for raw meat purchases — such as whole chickens and turkeys — even though plastic bags are usually taxed.
There are even some official carrier bag guidelines, and UK supermarkets are not required to charge for plastic bags to carry:
– Uncooked fish and fish products
– Uncooked meat, poultry, and their products
– Unwrapped food for animal or human consumption
– Unwrapped loose seeds
– Flowers.
If the supermarkets take extra precautions to separate raw meat packaging products at purchase, you should too. Take care when disposing of raw meat packaging, whether recycled or not, and make sure materials are rinsed thoroughly with washing-up liquid and warm water. You should also separate and remove non-recyclable films, lids and sleeves to ensure your packaging gets recycled.
What Kind of Raw Meat Packaging Can You Recycle?
As mentioned, there are plenty of different types of raw meat packaging used by butchers, supermarkets, and shops. Here are some of the most common and what you can do with them.
Butchers’ Paper — While it’s popular in packaging fresh meat, it isn’t good for the environment. While you might be helping the local economy by buying produce from the high street, butchers’ paper can’t be recycled. This form of wax paper isn’t strong enough to withstand recycling procedures and is difficult to clean after use. For an eco-friendly alternative, consider using compostable greaseproof paper. It should still be thrown away in general waste, but it’ll fully decompose in as little as three to six months, which is still hundreds of years faster than any kind of plastic packaging.
Compostable Meat Trays — As you may have guessed, this kind of raw meat packaging is recyclable, compostable and fully biodegradable. It’s a relatively new packaging approach, and most major supermarkets are yet to make the switch, but for commercial suppliers, our bagasse trays are ideal for packaging meat. Made from sugarcane pulp, this material is ethically sourced and easy to dispose of. It’s also suitable for both hot and cold foods.
Soft Plastics — Thin, fragile plastics aren’t good news for the planet. Plenty of raw meat products use thin packaging as a hygienic cover while using another form of packaging for the base. Don’t let this plastic-type put you off recycling altogether. Instead, separate them at the source — dispose of soft plastics in general waste and place recyclable components in your recycling bin after rinsing.
Hard Plastics — It’s no secret that plastic isn’t the most environmentally-friendly material on the market. But it’s cheap and easy to mass-produce, so it’s popular in the UK’s raw meat industry. Most hard plastics have a better chance of being recyclable than soft plastics do, but keep your eye out for instructions and check recycling options with your local council before “wishcycling”.
Polystyrene Trays — Along with soft plastics, polystyrene trays cannot be recycled. Polystyrene is notoriously a non-recyclable, non-reusable material that’s often produced using harmful chemicals, making it unsuitable for use with food. The porous nature of the material means it absorbs moisture from foods and becomes a breeding ground for bacteria. Where possible, steer clear of packaging housed in polystyrene trays with thin, plastic lids.
Card Sleeves — Branded products often have additional card sleeves, inserts, and pockets where branding, information, and pricing are presented. These add-ons are typically made from cards, so there’s every chance they’re widely recyclable. However, raw meat packaging is never solely made with cards, so from this perspective, it doesn’t make branded products necessarily better for the environment than own-brand alternatives.
The Dos and Don’ts of Recycling Raw Meat Packaging
Raw meat packaging comes in various forms, so be vigilant next time you’re shopping or visiting the butchers. Don’t be tempted to throw away non-recyclable packaging in the hope it’ll be processed at your local recycling facility. Instead, go with the safe bet and dispose of it in general waste — or even better, find somewhere that uses eco-friendly packaging.
Check out our online shop and discover recyclable, compostable and biodegradable packaging for food and drinks products. Need a branded packaging solution? Get in touch for a free design quote.
Scotland is banning plastic straws and polystyrene takeaway containers. It’s another heavy blow to the plastic packaging industry since over 50% of the Scottish population are ordering more takeaway food than pre-pandemic.
With the return of the hospitality industry and late-night takeaways, including kebabs, burgers, and cheesy chips, businesses need to find eco-friendly packaging alternatives and fast.
What Is Polystyrene Packaging?
Polystyrene — also known as Styrofoam — is created using styrene and pentane. Styrene naturally occurs in plants, but pentane is derived from fossil fuels. When these two chemicals are combined, they form a plastic that’s often moulded into packaging chips and food containers. Generally speaking, it’s non-toxic, but it absorbs moisture since it’s porous. This creates a breeding ground for bacteria and other nasties within the packaging itself, meaning that you shouldn’t reheat last night’s takeaway in its original container.
Can You Recycle Polystyrene Food Containers?
The short answer is no. Polystyrene isn’t commonly recycled, and the best place for polystyrene takeaway boxes or containers is general waste. While some specialist facilities can recycle the material — if unspoiled by the food it contains — these are few and far between. To make matters worse, it takes a long time to degrade, even under optimised conditions. It’ll clog up landfill sites long after serving its purpose, creating further environmental issues.
Whether you’re packaging hot or cold food, there are plenty of eco-friendly alternatives to polystyrene. Not only do they have some incredible ecological qualities, but they also perform a lot better than your average polystyrene takeaway container.
Here are four of our favourites:
1. Bagasse Clamshell Containers
These eco-friendly food containers are the closest thing to the classic polystyrene boxes we’re so used to seeing — with a twist. They’re 100% plastic-free. That means that they’ll decompose naturally within just a few months. For reference, that’s about two or three thousand times faster than regular plastic-based packaging.
The material itself is created using solely natural, renewable sources. Our bagasse is crafted from the by-product of harvesting sugarcane, so it’s totally biodegradable. Available in various sizes, including bagasse boxes with compartments to make serving meals even easier.
2. Kraft Food Containers
Made from premium-quality, food-grade Kraft board, Kraft food packaging is resistant to water, grease, and oil. It has a natural, modern aesthetic that goes well with all kinds of cuisine, whether that’s rustic, skin-on chips, or deliciously decadent burgers. Our Kraft food containers are 100% plastic-free and biodegradable, making it easy for your customers to dispose of responsibly.
3. Bagasse Anti-Leak Containers
These biodegradable containers are best for food delivery services. They mitigate the chances of spills and leaks with snap-on lids that won’t let you down. They’ll keep your hot or cold dishes fresh and delicious until they reach your customers, giving them a better experience without any of the takeaway guilt.
4. Kraft Pizza Boxes and Meal Boxes
This packaging is perfect for delivery and over-the-counter food service. Very few food packaging suppliers stock food-grade pizza boxes and meal boxes, but ours include Kraft paper on the inside, giving them the ultimate grease, moisture, and oil resistance. This also helps increase recycling rates, making for a more eco-friendly experience all-round. The luxury meal boxes and pizza boxes also feature steam holes to prevent food from going soggy.
Buying Polystyrene Food Packaging Alternatives
With more legislation expected to come into effect across the UK in the near future — and with so many polystyrene food packaging alternatives available — it’s time to change the way you serve your food and drinks.
Visit our online shop and discover a great range of eco-friendly food packaging. After a branded solution? Get in touch with us today for a free design quote.
Food outlets have been left scrambling for plastic packaging this year. Shortages of cups, straws, and takeout containers have taken their toll, affecting businesses on a global scale. This begs the question: Would we be in the same situation if alternative packaging was available?
Reusable food packaging offers an interesting solution to this problem. If businesses could convince customers to return packaging after use, more packaging would become available for other patrons. It could also reduce waste, converse planetary resources and promote a circular economy.
Is reusable food packaging a cost-effective, eco-friendly solution to the world’s problems, or is disposal packaging here to stay?
What Is Reusable Packaging for Food and Drinks?
Whether it’s at the supermarket or ordering a takeaway, we encounter all manner of reusable packaging for food and drinks:
– Food Bags and Carriers — We’ve come a long way from relying on plastic bags to carry our goods. The plastic bag tax and movements like Plastic Bag Free Day have promoted the use of “bags for life”, tote bags and any other means of transporting food and drinks without single-use plastics. Recyclable, compostable and biodegradable alternatives like paper bags and food carriers have also proven popular amongst businesses and consumers and are perfect for protecting the planet.
– Boxes and Containers — While plastic takeaway containers may seem like a handy addition to your customers’ Tupperware collection, you shouldn’t reuse them due to the harmful effects of phthalates — just some of the hazardous chemicals used in the production of thermoplastics. You can recycle these kinds of boxes and containers if they’re made from the right plastic resin. You must clean them first, so they don’t interfere with recycling. Still, some containers aren’t recyclable, which greatly diminishes the lifecycle of this kind of packaging.
– Cups and Glasses — Reusable cups are incredibly popular with consumers. Most major coffee shops and drinks outlets offer discounts to customers who bring reusable cups with them. But, travellers laden with laptops and burdened with bags might not be carrying their own, making biodegradable cups a great solution that don’t come with the familiar guilt of throwing away disposable packaging.
There’s no avoiding it — disposable packaging offers convenience that reusable packaging can’t. With so many eco-friendly packaging options available, will reusable packaging ever take its place?
Reusable food packaging comes in many forms, but whether or not it’s the most viable or eco-friendly solution is up for debate. It relies on two parties to fulfil their end of the bargain to make reusable food packaging worthwhile:
1. The manufacturer and,
2. The consumer
Manufacturers need to produce food-safe, eco-friendly packaging products that you can reuse repeatedly. The packaging needs to be sufficiently durable, so it can be reused enough times to offset the environmental cost associated with its production. But making the packaging economically and environmentally viable at scale has proven difficult.
Even if manufacturers successfully create reusable food packaging, the fate of the packaging lies solely with the consumer. Customers using reusable packaging need to act responsibly. Otherwise, the whole endeavour is a waste of time and resources.
Is Reusable Packaging an Eco-Friendly Solution?
Appropriate facilities need to be in place to make this process easier, which is part of the reason for the success of Loop’s reusable packaging in supermarkets. It’s allowed consumers to recycle the packaging for everyday items as they shop. While Loop’s packaging hasn’t reinvented the wheel — we’ve been reusing milk bottles for decades — it’s made supermarket shoppers think twice about the products they buy and their packaging.
There’s also a trial of CLUBZERO by Just Eat, where takeaway containers are returned for cleaning and reuse, but that doesn’t offset the carbon emissions produced by taking the packaging from place to place.
These offerings are still in their infancy, so what does this mean for the future?
Should You Use Reusable or Disposable Packaging?
Part of establishing a circular economy is making sure that everything that’s created serves a purpose further down the line, or at least doesn’t negatively impact the environment. Eco-friendly disposable packaging offers consumers many benefits and convenience and mitigates environmental issues like plastic pollution. Until more effective reusable food packaging becomes available, recyclable, compostable and biodegradable packaging holds the key to unlocking a better future for everyone.
Check out our online shop and discover biodegradable food packaging that doesn’t harm the environment. Need a bespoke solution? Get in touch with us today for a free design quote.
Could compostable packaging solve plastic waste issues? Find out how it’s made and how it could benefit your brand.
Compostable packaging is one of the most game-changing innovations in the past few years. It’s made from natural materials and is functional, eco-friendly and arguably the future of food and drinks packaging.
In a recent survey, 83% of consumers want to remove plastic packaging for food items and replace it with compostable packaging alternatives. To support a circular economy, compostable and biodegradable needs to be rolled out at scale. Your takeaways are the perfect place to start.
What Is Compostable Packaging Made Of?
Compostable packaging is crafted from natural biodegradable materials such as bagasse, an organic waste product from harvesting sugarcane. It can be made into takeaway packaging suitable for hot and cold food, like our bagasse containers or clamshell containers and tableware.
It’s also been developed into bioplastic, a plant-based plastic packaging alternative that shares many of the same characteristics as its not-so-eco-friendly counterparts. You can use this material for things like clear cups for smoothies, fruit juices, alcoholic beverages and much more. Bioplastic is commercially compostable since it is composed of PLA (polylactic acid), produced from renewable sources.
Each type of compostable packaging is lightweight and durable, making it ideal for transporting takeaway food without spills, leaks or anything else that might affect your customers’ takeaway experience. But is it better than plastic?
Is Compostable Packaging Better Than Plastic?
Compared to plastic packaging, compostable packaging has a lot more to offer. Plastic packaging takes a massive toll on the environment, clogging landfills and polluting oceans. Very little plastic is recycled, and the main culprits for plastic packaging waste are takeaway packaging items. If that wasn’t bad enough, it’s been proven that plastic containers are hazardous to health, especially when used to package hot food products. Harmful chemicals can get into your takeaway food items, posing a severe health risk to your customers.
By comparison, compostable packaging is much less harmful to create, use and dispose of since only natural materials are used. It’s made from materials that decompose quickly under the right conditions to support the composting process, which can be facilitated at home or in industrial composting units.
This means that, at the end of its lifecycle, compostable packaging returns to the earth as non-toxic elements, unlike plastics that leak toxins back into the environment, even when they’ve ceased to be useful. So how is it different from recyclable packaging?
Should You Use Recyclable or Compostable Packaging?
Recyclable and compostable packaging have similar qualities and characteristics. Both are durable and typically made from renewable sources. The main difference between them is that recyclable packaging needs to be recycled to extend its lifespan. Recycling requires energy and additional processing, whereas compostable packaging can be thrown away in general waste without significantly impacting on the environment.
Compostable materials have found popularity among supermarkets, too, indicating a move towards a compostable future. Many popular shops offer compostable shopping bags as an alternative to plastic bags, which have been a scourge on the environment for decades.
The Benefits of Switching to Compostable Packaging
Interested in improving your takeaway offerings with eco-friendly packaging alternatives? Here are some of the key benefits of switching to compostable packaging:
1. Reduces Your Environmental Impact
Slash your carbon footprint by investing in high-quality, planet-positive packaging that doesn’t come with an environmental cost. You’ll massively reduce your brand’s environmental impact by opting for responsibly sourced, sustainable packaging products suitable for an array of food and drinks items.
2. Enhances Your Brand’s Image
Plastic packaging has reigned supreme for several years due to low-cost manufacturing, but consumers want a greener future. As plastic packaging continues to fall out of favour, switching to compostable packaging proves to consumers that your brand is cognisant of their desires for responsibility and sustainability.
3. Improves the Takeaway Experience
There’s nothing worse than being served a takeaway in low-quality packaging. Our compostable packaging is crafted using natural materials that are functional, effective, and enhance your customers’ experience with your brand. All of our products are guaranteed to keep your food and drinks items fresh and delicious while avoiding mishaps like leaks and spills.
4. Makes Takeaways More Convenient
Convenience is a huge factor in the success of your food and beverage business. If your customers can’t locate a recycling point after they’ve indulged themselves in a takeaway or after a quick coffee, they’ll probably feel guilty about buying from you again. Make their day by giving them a guilt-free experience that allows them to carry on with their day, knowing that their actions aren’t affecting the environment.
5. Secures Your Brand’s Future
As further legislation comes into force, it’ll soon be the case that all businesses must switch to some form of eco-friendly packaging. Your brand could be at the forefront of these changes, establishing effective, sustainably packaging practices ahead of the rush towards green packaging solutions. If you need any advice about our products, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team, who are more than happy to help.
Should You Switch to Compostable Packaging?
When such effective alternatives are widely available, it’s hard to make a case for other less environmentally friendly packaging forms. Our compostable products can help you establish your eco-conscious brand and win repeat business from a growing market of eco-conscious customers. So what are you waiting for?
Check out our online shop, where you’ll find a range of high-quality, responsibly sourced compostable packaging items. Want to find the perfect packaging products for your food and beverages? Get in touch with us today.
Branded takeaway packaging comes in all shapes and sizes, but how does it benefit your business? Find out with Takeaway Packaging.
Customers crave connection. They want a branded experience to reinforce their purchasing decisions and give them a sense of fulfilment when ordering your food and drinks. You can make your brand stand out without blowing your entire marketing budget or negatively impacting the environment, from printed takeaway bags to branded takeaway boxes.
Is your packaging holding you back? Find out how branded packaging can boost brand awareness and drive sales.
What Is Branded Takeaway Packaging?
Branded takeaway packaging does what it says on the tin, box, bag or carrier. It promotes your brand while protecting your food and drinks products. By showcasing your artwork, logo or messaging on takeaway containers and carriers, you’re keeping your menu items fresh while keeping your brand fresh in your customers’ minds — a win-win for takeaway lovers and savvy marketers alike.
Your branded packaging shouldn’t be limited to your core packaging items though.Consistency is key for successful branding, so adding your brand’s artwork to all your packaging items will be a lot more impactful than only branding one aspect of your packaging. You might be thinking, “this is going to be expensive”, but branded packaging is a relatively small investment that has the potential to revitalise your brand, no matter the size of your business.
Is Branded Takeaway Packaging Important?
Whether you choose to create colourful, vibrant packaging that grabs your customers’ attention or subtle, sophisticated designs that ooze quality, the goal is to boost brand awareness. It’s this aspect of your marketing that will benefit the most from branding your food boxes, bags, accessories, and anything else your customers come into contact with.
Brand awareness helps new and existing customers remember the high-quality takeaway food and drinks they had from your outlet. Customers appreciate the care and attention that branded packaging offers. It should be a reflection of the quality of the product inside instead of an afterthought.
Branded packaging is a must-have to give your valued customers the best experience possible, win repeat business and establish brand loyalty.
The Brilliant Benefits of Branded Takeaway Packaging
If you’re an eco-conscious food and drinks business on a budget, you could opt for stock eco-friendly takeaway packaging, but going the extra mile to help customers remember your brand. Our products will protect your menu items and the planet, but non-branded packaging doesn’t have the same impact as branded takeaway packaging.
Here’s how branded takeaway packaging can build your brand:
1. Amplifies Customer Satisfaction — Takeaways are all about convenience. If your packaging makes it awkward for your customers to carry, drink from or eat out of, their entire experience with your brand will suffer. Make their lives easier with expertly crafted branded packaging that’s convenient and stylish, like our printed food boxes and carriers.
2. Enhances the Takeaway Experience — You shouldn’t underestimate the novelty of ordering a takeaway. Make your customers’ experience special with branded takeaway packaging that will make their meals memorable. Even something as small as branded stickers can remind customers of the brand that made them so happy as they tuck into their takeaway.
3. Makes Packaging More Exciting — Branded takeaway packaging adds flair to otherwise bland and unimaginative takeaway containers, cups and accessories. Intensify the excitement around your products by matching the quality of your food and drinks with the packaging that protects it.
4. Protects Your Products in Style — Put the “fun” back in “functionality” with branded takeaway containers. Hot and cold food items need to be temperature regulated and grease-resistant to keep food fresh, so whether you’re selling soup or ice cream, you won’t have to compromise on style or substance.
5. Promotes Your Business Locally — Printed takeaway bags do the leg-work for you when used by customers moving around your location. Give your brand maximum exposure with a large printed logo or eye-catching artwork that’ll make passers-by look twice.
6. Strengthens Your Online Presence — Include a catchy hashtag on your branded packaging to encourage customers to post about your products and share their experiences. Utilising user-generated content is a great way to promote your brand online without going out of your way to create original content.
7. Protects the Environment — Using water and vegetable-based inks and sustainably sourced materials, we create planet-positive packaging that doesn’t come with any unwanted environmental consequences.
With so many advantages to giving your customers a branded experience, it’s no wonder customised packaging makes such an impression.
Branding Your Takeaway Packaging in Style
Branded takeaway packaging should be an integral part of your marketing strategy, regardless of the scale of your operation. Without it, you’re missing out on countless opportunities to promote your business locally and online. Don’t miss out — start using branded packaging today and watch your business grow.
Want to enjoy the benefits of branded packaging? Get in touch with our in-house design team for a free packaging quote. Check out our blog and learn more about how to use custom packaging to promote your brand.
Christmas is a time for togetherness. Bring everyone around the table with our festive and eco-friendly packaging solutions.
The festive season is upon us, and the hospitality sector is set to generate £3.5 billion in a sharp post-COVID rebound. High streets will no doubt be brimming with shoppers in the lead up to Black Friday, Cyber Monday and, of course, Christmas.
For takeaway outlets, it’s going to be a busy period. There’s no better time to get festive with your food packaging ahead of the holiday season, so here’s a quick guide to help you get the Christmas packaging you need.
Do People Order Takeaways on Christmas Day?
To some, a takeaway on Christmas Day might be the worst thing imaginable. While the Christmas turkey might be a long-standing tradition, more than half of the UK population planned to order a takeaway on December 25th last year. The tide seems to be changing, so maybe there’s something to be said for a convenient Christmas meal?
According to Just Eat, the country enjoys an eclectic festive feast on Christmas, ordering everything from kebabs and curry to burgers and pizza. With a surprising demand for takeaways, you can make your customers’ Christmas even more memorable with the right packaging.
Three Christmas Takeaway Packaging Essentials
Whether you’re planning on keeping your establishment open on Christmas or taking some well-earned time off, there’s plenty you can do to keep the festivities going with seasonal food and drinks packaging for your takeaways:
1. Biodegradable Christmas Cups
Countless shoppers will be looking to rest their bones as they break away from the hordes that descend on town and city centres during the holiday season. Give them Christmas-themed pick-me-up with our biodegradable Christmas cups. Each cup is constructed with a double-wall design to keep your beverages warm, even on the coldest winter days. Serve delicious, fresh coffee, tea or cinnamon-spiced Chai lattes that hold the heat with eco-friendly lids (sold separately).
2. Premium Quality Food Carriers
If your customers are ordering in, make their experience that much more convenient with strong and sturdy gable-handle food carriers. These are popular the whole year-round, but they’re incredibly practical around Christmas time as they make transporting hot and fresh takeaways a breeze, even if your customers are laden with shopping bags. Although they’re completely recyclable, they can easily be reused by your customers. If you opt to add your branding, you’ll create an easy way to promote your business.
3. Compostable Bowls
Soups and stews are some of the most wholesome warming meals you can serve in the colder months, but finding the right packaging can be tricky. Our biodegradable bowls are more than up to the task. They’ll keep your food piping hot no matter the weather, thanks to the PLA lining, which creates an effective barrier against moisture while trapping heat. They’re available in various sizes, so you can always serve the right portions.
Ordering Christmas Takeaway Packaging
If fried chicken is taking the place of your customers’ Christmas turkey, make sure your takeaway packaging doesn’t accidentally take centre stage by failing during the most wonderful time of year. Invest in the right packaging and save the day with eco-friendly packaging that doesn’t disappoint.
Be ready for Christmas this year with the perfect takeaway packaging. Get a free branded design quote for a winning festive design or serve sustainable takeaways the whole year round with our range of eco-friendly packaging, available in our online shop.
We make buying wholesale food packaging simple. Find the packaging you need for your food and beverages with Takeaway Packaging.
Purchasing the right wholesale food packaging can be a tricky affair. With so much choice, it’s hard to know which is the best packaging to use for hot and cold menu items. There is an abundance of different materials and designs on offer, each with its unique benefits, so we’re here to help you make the perfect selection.
Why Buy Food Packaging Wholesale?
For restaurants, pizzerias, coffee houses, and everything in between, food packaging is a necessity. You need to consider how you’ll keep your food and beverages fresh and tasty while bearing any environmental qualities or drawbacks too. These aspects can make or break the customer experience with your brand.
Investing in wholesale food packaging can be expensive, but if you’re anticipating a rush of customers as the festive period draws near, buying wholesale food packaging has numerous advantages:
– Reduce Packaging Costs — Shopping with wholesale packaging suppliers can save you money. Our packaging products are procured from specialist manufacturers who sell only the highest-quality sustainable products for hot and cold food and beverages.
– Greater Choice of Products — Extensive packaging options will allow you to get the right packaging for every item on your menu. You also have access to better deals on branded products, like our range of Fastpac packaging and our Eco Cups.
– Minimising Delivery Costs — Buying your food packaging in bulk reduces the number of shipments you need to arrange. This saves you money on delivery costs and reduces the transportation required to make multiple deliveries, diminishing the number of resources necessary to get the packaging you need.
– Smooth Operations — You can keep things running as they should when you have plenty of packaging. With our stockholding and distribution service, you don’t need to worry about storage. We’ll keep hold of branded packaging and send more to you with next-day delivery as and when you need it.
Buying food packaging wholesale makes good financial sense, especially if you’re growing your business. All that’s left is to make sure that the packaging you get is a good fit for your menu. If you want to “try before you buy”, take advantage of our free packaging samples!
How to Choose the Best Wholesale Food Packaging
The kind of packaging you choose depends on the type of food and drinks products you sell. We have a broad range of eco-friendly packaging products, plus a branded packaging design service.it’s good to know what different kinds of packaging have to offer, as well as which packaging to steer clear of:
Types of Food Packaging to Avoid
Certain types of packaging are outdated, inefficient or unsuitable. Steer clear of the following to make your takeaways safe for humans and the environment:
Plastic
Plastic food containers used to be a popular choice among takeaway outlets, but as the government bans more single-use plastics — including plates, cutlery and cups — it’s rapidly falling out of favour with consumers and retailers. Plastic packaging may be durable, yet the dangers of plastic packaging are something to be wary of, particularly when plastic packaging is used with hot foods. Some plastics aren’t recyclable either, making them incredibly bad for the environment.
Polystyrene
Cheap, flimsy and widely unrecyclable, polystyrene packaging is suffering a similar fate to generic plastic packaging. Although polystyrene is effective at retaining heat, it’s not a sustainable option, especially when compared to plastic-free alternatives.
Metals
Many forms of metal-based food packaging are sturdy and recyclable. They’re widely used for pre-packaged food and drinks like baked beans and sugary drinks, but they aren’t best for takeaways. Aluminium trays have been popular for their heat retention, but they are rigid, expensive to produce and rarely recycled if spoiled. It can also corrode overtime if left in unsuitable conditions.
Natural Alternatives for Food Packaging:
As forms of traditional packaging become less popular due to environmental and hygiene concerns, the world needs better, more effective alternatives. Here are some of our best picks:
Cardboard
Made from naturally compostable and biodegradable materials, cardboard packaging like pizza boxes and our ever-popular food carriers are perfect for all kinds of takeaway cuisine. They’re shipped flat, making them incredibly easy to store yet easy to assemble quickly, making rapid service easily attainable.
Kraft
Our Kraftware range has a few unique advantages over polystyrene and plastic packaging. All of the products in this category are biodegradable and commercially compostable. Specific products, like our eco bowls, feature a PLA bioplastic coating, making them resistant to water, oil and grease. This gives your customers a more enjoyable experience without any takeaway guilt.
Bagasse
Sustainably sourced and easy to manufacture, bagasse makes a cost-effective solution for hot and cold foods. It’s made from sugarcane pulp, a naturally biodegradable material that breaks down quickly. It’s malleable too — it can be crafted into various shapes and sizes, from clamshell containers to leak-proof bowls and lids — so it’s an excellent choice for eclectic food menus.
Bioplastic
The future of plastic is here. Bioplastic shares practically all of the same qualities as oil-based plastics, but with one crucial difference: it’s completely biodegradable. Our bioplastic cups can be composted, giving you and your customers another option to dispose of the packaging waste from your takeaways responsibly.
Buying Eco-Friendly Packaging Wholesale
You might come across some cheaper wholesale packaging, but remember that customers care as much about quality as they do convenience. With a growing number of highly eco-conscious consumers and increasingly stringent environmental packaging regulations, sustainable packaging is the only route forwards. Whether you opt for our stock packaging or push the boat out with a branded option, a planet-positive selection will serve you and your customers well.
Need more information about wholesale food packaging? Get in touch with our expert team for a free packaging design quote, or visit our online shop to discover a range of sustainable packaging solutions available in bulk.
The right breakfast takeaway packaging will get your customers’ morning off to a great start, no matter what food and drinks they order.
It might be the most important meal of the day, but many people skip breakfast in favour of an early start (or a well-deserved lie-in). This presents your business with a unique opportunity to capitalise on people’s busy schedules, but how can you get their day off to the perfect start?
Whether your customers work from home or join the throngs of commuters making their way to the office, serving up delicious breakfast items — from pastries and coffee to bacon butties and teas — will be sure to score you some great business. So how should you package your breakfast items for maximum convenience and sustainability?
Why Is Sustainable Takeaway Packaging Important?
In the UK, we generate millions of tonnes of packaging waste. Takeaway lunches account for 11 billion tonnes of waste a year, much of which isn’t recycled, recyclable or biodegradable. With statistics like these in mind, it’s up to businesses to provide more eco-friendly options to consumers, no matter what kind of food they serve.
As people are getting their days underway, they might be less inclined to seek out recycling points if they’re in a hurry or late for work. This makes biodegradable packaging a crucial aspect of your shop’s breakfast packaging. Not only is it better for the environment than plastic or other synthetic materials, but it also adds a layer of convenience for your customers.
They can simply throw away their packaging in general waste without feeling guilty as it will degrade naturally in a short time. So how else can you use breakfast takeaway packaging to make your customers morning?
How to Use Breakfast Takeaway Packaging Effectively
Breakfast items are usually varied. Porridge, cereal, sandwiches and pastries all need different packaging, so how can you reduce costs while providing effective, sustainable breakfast packaging to your loyal customers?
We’ve outlined a few ways you can make the packaging used for the items on your breakfast menu easier, more cost-effective and planet-positive:
Sustainable Packaging for Hot Drinks
The UK drinks about 95 million cups of coffee daily. If you thought that was impressive, our tiny nation consumes about 100 million cups of tea a day too. Countless people can’t do without these hot, caffeinated beverages to get them started. With such huge demand, it’s vital that consumers have the best eco-friendly options for their takeaway drinks.
You can help your customers enjoy their morning beverage the eco-friendly way with biodegradable coffee cups. Available in various sizes, they can be used for an array of hot drinks. With the addition of compostable lids, customers can secure their beverages and forget worrying about spilling hot liquid all over their work attire. We also stock clear compostable cups made from plant-based materials for cold drinks like fruit juices and breakfast smoothies.
Biodegradable Packaging for Food Items
The next challenge lies with your breakfast food items. Whether your clientele has a penchant for pastries or a keenness for breakfast cobs, you need to provide them with the right packaging that keeps the crumbs at bay.
With an extensive range of sustainable hot food containers, your patrons can enjoy your delectable breakfast items that retain their freshness even on the coldest days of the year. For sandwiches prone to red (or brown) sauce spillages, opt for our eco-friendly sandwich bags that make tucking into a morning sarnie a mess-free experience.
We also stock a whole host of eco-friendly accessories, like biodegradable cutlery, napkins, and twisted handle paper bags made from responsibly sourced paper, to enhance your customers’ experience.
Eco-Friendly Food and Drinks Carriers
Of course, for many, breakfast is best eaten on the go to save precious time during busy mornings. Practical food and drinks carriers can make everyone’s life a lot easier, especially if they’re placing large orders.
Our gable boxes are the perfect solution for breakfast treats the whole office can enjoy. Made from durable cardboard, they can be reused at the consumers’ leisure or simply recycled. Their solid construction means they can withstand even the most turbulent of commutes, but they’re also easy to deconstruct when they’re finished with.
Unless your customers have superior balance and dexterity, your freshly prepared coffees and teas might not make it to their required destination. But our compostable drinks carriers and sleeves make carrying hot and cold beverages a walk in the park. Even if spoiled by spillages, all of our breakfast takeaway packaging items can be thrown out in general waste as they are 100% plastic-free and biodegradable.
More Eco-Friendly Takeaway Packaging Options
Customers will arrive at your establishment at all hours of the day, which is why we stock a great selection of sustainable takeaway packaging products for all kinds of cuisine served at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Whatever food and beverages you sell, we’ve got you covered with future-friendly packaging that doesn’t cost the earth.
Want to get your customers’ day off to the perfect start? Start serving greener takeaways today with our breakfast takeaway packaging. Check out our online shop or get a free custom design quote for branded packaging today.
Pre-packaged food will require additional information about its ingredients to keep people safe. Ensure your business is compliant with the latest food packaging regulations with Takeaway Packaging.
As of October 2021, all pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS) food is required to clearly display key information about the food and its ingredients under “Natasha’s Law”. The new legislation is designed to protect people with allergies or intolerances and provide a safer way for everyone to purchase pre-packaged food, so how does this affect the hospitality industry?
What Is Natasha’s Law?
The UK Food Information Amendment, otherwise known as “Natasha’s Law”, requires food businesses to provide a full list of ingredients and allergen information on all pre-packaged foods for direct sale on their premises. It follows the implementation of allergen legislation in 2014, which requires all businesses to tell customers if any food they retail contains any of these 14 major allergens.
Under the new packaging rules, PPDS food needs to clearly display the following information on the packaging:
The name of the food
A full ingredients list with allergenic ingredients highlighted (for example, in bold, italics or a different colour).
These changes will apply to businesses in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. If your business sells any form of pre-packaged food or drinks, you’ll need to update your packaging to remain compliant with the latest food packaging regulations. So why is this important change being introduced?
Why Is Natasha’s Law Being Introduced?
The new legislation aims to help people with known or suspected allergies buy food with confidence. It’s estimated that a third of the UK population suffer from at least one allergy, so making this change helps protect a vast number of people and ensure they know exactly what they’re purchasing and consuming from takeaway food businesses.
This amendment to the UK food packaging law was brought about by the parents of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, the teenager who tragically died after suffering an allergic reaction to an undeclared ingredient in a pre-packed meal. The stricter rules about food packaging implemented under the government’s latest regulations will help prevent food-related allergic reactions.
While deaths from food allergies are rare and decreasing in the UK, hospital admissions for food-induced anaphylaxis are rising. So to mitigate the number of admissions to hospitals for avoidable allergic reactions, allergen information is to be made clearer.
How Can You Ensure Compliance with Natasha’s Law?
The importance of detailed food labelling has been made abundantly clear. Yet studies have found that as many as eight in ten food businesses feel unprepared for the latest amendment to food labelling laws, with small, independent businesses feeling the strain more than larger chains. So how can you achieve compliance?
Add Stickers to Your Food Packaging — Unbranded packaging is cost-effective, but it relies on the business to add the food name and ingredients list (with the allergens highlighted) to the packaging manually. You can add stickers containing the required information to your food packaging.
Create Custom Packaging — If you sell large quantities of the same food and drinks items, a productive and cost-effective way to include all necessary information would be to create custom packaging for specific menu items. This will create consistency across your entire range of food and drinks products and ensure that your brand is compliant with regulations.
Notify Customers about Allergens — Your business will still need to conform to previous allergen legislation, so continue to inform customers about allergens in your food and drinks products. You should also ensure that clear signage remains in place to keep customers in the know.
If you’re unsure whether your food requires allergen labelling, use this allergen and ingredients food labelling tool to help you make the right choice for each of your menu items. You can also download official resources to ensure your business complies with Natasha’s Law.
Natasha’s Law and Food Packaging
If you’d like to know more about how we can help your business with custom or branded food packaging, get in touch with our team. We can design packaging that supports your customers’ safety and makes compliance with food packaging regulations easier. You can also visit our online shop to find stock food and drinks packaging that’s safe for use for all kinds of takeaways.
Does your business need to update its packaging to comply with the latest food regulations changes? Contact our team for a free packaging design quote or visit our online shop to discover eco-friendly packaging solutions.
Celebrate the nation’s annual recycling event with Takeaway Packaging. Do something different for Recycle Week (20th – 26th September 2021).
Recycling gets a bad wrap. Not enough products and materials are recycled, making the purpose of recyclable packaging a little redundant. Tonnes of waste is sent straight to landfill when it could’ve been recycled or reused, creating innumerable environmental issues and wasting incredible amounts of the planet’s resources.
Recycle Week hopes to change that by promoting recycling to protect the environment and preserve our finite resources. So what’s it all about, and how can you take part?
What Is Recycle Week?
Recycle Week is an annual event organised by Recycle Now. The yearly celebration aims to promote recycling by drawing attention to national — and global — waste management issues that have a detrimental impact on their communities and the environment.
Businesses and consumers can turn the tide on growing environmental issues, but only if they’re made aware of the importance of recycling and the impact their choices have on the environment. Donors of Recycle Week include some of the world’s most established brands, including Britvic, Co-op, Innocent, Coca Cola and PepsiCo. With support from these huge organisations, Recycle Week is a big deal. So why should your brand get involved?
Why Is Recycle Week Important?
The UK population creates billions of tonnes of waste every year, but hardly any is recycled — or even recyclable. It’s estimated that we use around 35.8 million plastic bottles every day in the UK, but less than half find their way to recycling bins. That means that on average, 16 million plastic bottles end up in landfills daily, which could’ve been used to make clothes, garden furniture or recycled packaging.
If that’s not worrying enough, a brief look at the fast-food packaging waste statistics from recent years will make your stomach turn. So what can be done to counteract such an immeasurable threat to our health and the planet’s health?
How to Promote Recycle Week This Year
For restaurants, fast-food outlets, coffee houses, street-food vendors and other takeaway businesses, there are several ways to reduce non-recyclable food packaging waste and support Recycle Week:
1. Stop Using Single-Use Plastics
The worst packaging options you could choose are single-use plastics. Plastic bottles and plastic carrier bags stick around for an uncomfortably long time — often for hundreds of years — even though you may only use them for a matter of minutes. Single-use plastics and other non-recyclable synthetic materials cause a significant number of environmental issues, from polluting our oceans to putting our health in jeopardy, so steer clear and opt for more eco-friendly alternatives.
2. Go Green with Recyclable Packaging
Swapping out plastic packaging for recyclable packaging will dramatically reduce the size of your carbon footprint. Your customers will be able to dispose of their takeaways in an eco-friendly way, instead of simply throwing them out with general waste. With grease-proof and water-resistant pizza boxes, you can help improve recycling rates one takeaway at a time, as these high-quality boxes are much less likely to spoil than regular cardboard pizza boxes.
3. Use Branded Packaging to Promote Recycling
Want to ensure your packaging gets recycled? Give your customers a nudge in the right direction by promoting recycling with branded packaging. Use the hashtag #recycleweek along with a catchy slogan or some brief instructions on how to dispose of your packaging. This will encourage eco-friendly habits amongst your customers. This is an easy, cost-effective way to start making a difference while promoting your eco-conscious brand.
Celebrating Recycle Week in Style
Recycle Week will be here before you know it, so make sure you’re all set to support one of the UK’s most important environmental awareness days with recyclable packaging. At Takeaway Packaging, all of our packaging products boast a wealth of eco-friendly qualities. They’re recyclable, but they’re also home-compostable and biodegradable. This makes it much easier for everyone to dispose of their packaging in a way that benefits the environment.
You’ll find our responsibly sourced packaging in our online shop. Our packaging will keep your customers safe as it’s all made from natural, non-toxic materials. Most of our packaging products are already at least 80% recycled too. If you want to make your packaging go further this year, we have plenty of printing options perfectly suited to small runs of branded packaging, and ideal for Recycle Week!
Ready to Step It Up for Recycle Week? Get a free design quote from our expert, in-house team or check out our online shop to celebrate sustainability this year.
Find out what zero waste really means with Takeaway Packaging. Make a positive change for Zero Waste Week this year (6th – 10th September 2021).
Our current economy is incredibly wasteful. Millions of tonnes of food, packaging and other waste are sent directly to landfills every year, creating innumerable environmental issues and squandering the world’s finite resources. It doesn’t have to be this way.
This year, as part of Zero Waste Week, we’re promoting the zero waste movement to help individuals and businesses become more aware of wasteful practices and improve sustainability. So what does zero waste mean, and how can you make a difference?
What Does Zero Waste Mean?
In plain English, zero waste means that absolutely no waste is sent to landfills. A more detailed definition of zero waste comes from the
Zero Waste International Alliance: “the conservation of all resources by means of responsible production, consumption, reuse, and recovery of products, packaging, and materials without burning and with no discharges to land, water, or air that threaten the environment or human health”.
That’s a bit of a mouthful, but it essentially means that businesses and consumers must adopt a more conservative and eco-friendly approach to protect the environment and our well-being. Fortunately, zero waste principles can be implemented widely across the food and drinks industry, from reducing and eliminating food waste to using responsibly sourced packaging that can be reused, recycled or composted. So how can you kickstart your journey towards a more eco-friendly future?
What Is Zero Waste Week and How Do You Take Part?
Launched in 2008,Zero Waste Week is an annual, week-long campaign that aims to raise awareness about the environmental impact of waste. With over 80 participating countries, it’s a global movement that has inspired millions to act more sustainably. No matter the scale of your operation, everyone is welcome to take part and reduce the amount of waste that’s sent to landfill.
While it only runs for seven days of the year, the goal is to encourage more businesses and consumers to adopt a more conservative and strategic approach to waste management the whole year round. So why should you consider changing how your business operates?
Why Is Zero Waste Important?
At present, the UK generates approximately 9.5 million tonnes of food waste a year. Households are accountable for 69% of this waste, but the hospitality and food sector is responsible for around 10% of the total waste created — nearly one million tonnes of waste. What’s worse is that much of this food waste is perfectly edible at the time when it was thrown away.
There are some equally shocking fast-food packaging waste statistics too, from the lack of recycling of oil-based plastic packaging to the amount of packaging waste that’s littered. This makes it all the more important that businesses rapidly change their approach before we end up with an environmental disaster.
How to Achieve a Zero Waste Status
Whether you’re a street-food vendor or a restaurant, a coffee house or a bar, you can optimise your takeaway business to reduce non-recyclable food packaging waste and support Zero Waste Week. If you’re looking to start your journey towards a zero waste future and contribute to a circular economy, the best place to start is with a waste audit of your business:
Step 1: Take note of all of the ingredients, packaging and other items that are consumed or thrown away for a week.
Step 2: Review your findings to make your operations more eco-friendly. There’s always room for improvement!
Step 3: Implement changes in your business and inspire others to do the same. Saving the planet is a joint effort, after all.
Whether you swap out your plastic packaging for more eco-friendly packaging, start reducing your food waste with apps like Too Good To Go or promote Zero Waste Week with branded packaging, small changes make a big difference.
Eliminating Waste with Takeaway Packaging
At Takeaway Packaging, we’re doing everything we can to minimise and eliminate waste. We’ve developed packaging that can be reused, recycled and disposed of ecologically to help you secure a more sustainable future for everybody. Our responsibly sourced packaging products are made from natural, high-quality materials that keep your food fresh and help to minimise food waste. Make a positive change this year for Zero Waste Week with our expert assistance and awesome eco-friendly packaging.
Want to take part in Zero Waste Week this year? Get a free design quote from our in-house design team, or check out our online shop for green packaging that will help you achieve your zero waste goals.
Microplastics are harmful to the environment and hazardous to health. Find out how to avoid them with Takeaway Packaging.
Plastic causes a lot of problems. It’s a major pollutant of the world’s oceans, it doesn’t degrade for hundreds of years and it’s pretty much everywhere you look. One of the key dangers of plastics is microplastics. So what are they, where do they come from and how can you avoid them?
What Are Microplastics?
Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic debris no longer than 5 millimetres in length. Since they’re microscopic, they’re hard to see, making them a dangerous pollutant. Their tiny size makes them incredibly hazardous to all forms of life, from marine animals to humans, as they’re often unwittingly and unintentionally ingested. This can cause a myriad of potentially fatal internal problems.
Where Do Microplastics Come From?
Much of the plastic in the world doesn’t start so small. When larger plastic products degrade, they break down into minuscule pieces. As these pieces get smaller and smaller, they remain as potent as they were at their original size. That means all manner of plastic bottles, takeaway containers and other plastic receptacles are destined for the same fate if they aren’t recycled or disposed of properly.
Are Microplastics Dangerous?
Plastics can be extremely hazardous, but microplastics have the potential to cause significantly more harm to the environment and our health:
– Microplastics Kill Marine Animals — When accidentally ingested by aquatic creatures, such as fish, turtles and seabirds, microplastics wreak havoc on their digestive systems. The tiny plastic particles clog their digestive tracts, diminish their urge to eat, alter feeding behaviour and eventually cause starvation, leading many marine animals to a sad and untimely end.
– MicroplasticsAbsorb Harmful Chemicals— Studies have revealed that microplastics absorb toxic chemicals, which makes them doubly detrimental to our health. The harmful bacteria carried by these plastic particles could cause infections or lead to other illnesses, as well as the harm the plastic itself can have.
– Microplastics Could Be In Your Food — Our recent blog post about the dangers of phthalates highlighted issues surrounding reheating food products in plastic containers. Here, microplastics leach into your food and can enter the body, leading to several highly concerning health issues.
Since the dangers of microplastics are so widespread, businesses and consumers must find ways to avoid the use of plastics in everyday products like food and drinks packaging. So how can it be done?
How Can You Avoid Microplastics?
One of the easiest ways to avoid microplastics and mitigate their effects on the environment is to stop using single-use plastic products. Plastic takeaway food and drinks packaging dominate ocean plastic, making it all the more important for businesses offering takeaways to alter their packaging strategies to help protect their customers and the planet.
Doing away with plastic bags, bottles and food containers should be a priority, as these are the most littered items to end up in the world’s oceans. Fortunately, there are some awesome plastic-free packaging alternatives available:
– Biodegradable Drinks Packaging — From eco-friendly coffee cups to bioplastic drinks containers, you can easily mitigate non-recyclable plastic waste with our sustainable packaging alternatives for drinks products.
– Sustainable Hot Food Containers — You don’t need plastics to protect your takeaway products. Our Kraftware collection is water-resistant, greaseproof and guaranteed to keep your hot and cold food products fresh. They’ll also help your customers stay far away from all forms of microplastics.
– Paper Bags and Food Carriers — Made from renewable, responsibly sourced materials that degrade naturally in a short time, our stylish paper bags and plastic-free food carriers make a great substitute for plastic packaging.
Plastic-Free Packaging for a Healthier Planet
Moving to eco-friendly packaging doesn’t mean you need to compromise on quality. All of our super-sustainable takeaway packaging products are made from naturally durable materials like a virgin, unbleached Kraft board, bagasse and even avocado seeds. Not only are they up to the task of delivering eco-friendly meals to your valued customers, but they also help preserve the planet’s resources and mitigate plastic waste, reducing the prevalence of dangerous microplastics.
Say goodbye to microplastics and hello to a healthier packaging solution for your customers and the planet. Check out our online shop and discover our huge range of eco-friendly packaging solutions today.
Discover some easy and effective ways to promote your business on Plastic Bag Free Day with Takeaway Packaging.
On July 3rd this year, the world will be celebrating Plastic Bag Free Day. While plastic bags have been used extensively across the globe to help people carry home their shopping — as well as occupying kitchen drawers and frequently ending up as makeshift bin liners — they have a hugely negative impact on the environment.
On Plastic Bag Free Day, you can help raise awareness about the urgent need to move away from plastics to less damaging, more planet-friendly packaging options. It’s also a great opportunity to promote your brand, so what are the best ways to celebrate Plastic Bag Free Day this year?
What Is Plastic Bag Free Day?
International Plastic Bag Free Day aims to raise awareness about the negative effects of plastic bags on the environment and promote more eco-friendly alternatives. But you might be wondering, “are plastic bags really that bad for the planet?”.
There’s no denying it — plastic bags are pretty convenient. After all, that’s why they’ve proven so popular for the past few decades. They’re fairly water-resistant, they can be folded or scrunched up to make storage easier and, depending on the kind of plastic bag you get, they’re actually quite durable. Sounds good, right?
Well, plastic bags might have a few advantages, but the production and disposal of plastic bags wreak havoc on the environment. Between their fossil-fuel reliant creation and their centuries-long decomposition, plastic bags are used for just 25 minutes, on average. So, for example, if you used a plastic bag to carry home your shopping, taking 25 minutes, and the typical plastic bag takes 500 years to decompose, it’ll take 10 million times longer for it to decompose. That’s not good…
How to Celebrate Plastic Bag Free Day
There are plenty more frightening statistics about plastic bags, which might be enough for you to never want to touch a plastic bag again, but numbers won’t change the world — action will. So here are some easy ways to get the plastic-free party started:
Ditch the Plastic
It might seem like an impossible task to totally remove plastic from your takeaway packaging, but we’re here to help. Consumers prefer paper to plastic, making our eco-friendly paper bags and carriers an awesome alternative for anything your customers need to take away with them to a shady seating area just a few meters away or all the way home to be enjoyed on the sofa.
Create Custom Packaging to Boost Awareness
Helping raise awareness about the harmful effects of plastic bags is an easy but effective way to score points with your customers. They’ll love that your brand is doing something different to help the environment, and as a result, you’re more likely to get their repeat custom. Of course, your competitors might attempt to do the same, so whatever you do needs to stand out and send a clear message, which is where we can lend a hand.
Our in-house design team are an expert in creating captivating custom packaging that’ll catch the eye of any onlooker and make people take note of your message. Plus, with super-fast turnaround times, you can get the packaging you need to enhance your branding quickly and efficiently.
Help Your Customers Celebrate Plastic Bag Free Day Too!
Sharing is caring, so why not share something cool with your valued customers? Whether that’s insightful facts about how your packaging preserves the planet’s resources or advice on how customers should responsibly dispose of their packaging, it’s a tried-and-tested way of making experiences with your brand memorable. It’ll also help your customers do the right thing, curbing littering, encouraging recycling and promoting home-composting, to name a few.
How Are You Celebrating Plastic Bag Free Day?
Since the introduction of the plastic bag charge in 2015, plastic bag usage has been in decline. It helped people manage their use of plastic bags, promoting reuse and recycling, but it hasn’t totally eradicated the numerous problems plastic presents. This Plastic Bag Free Day, do your bit to encourage the use of reusable, eco-friendly packaging. With so many eco-friendly options to choose from, we guarantee you’ll find exactly what you need to kick-start your plastic-free fiesta you can make last the whole year-round.
Want to get involved? Even if you’ve missed Plastic Bag Free Day this year, you can still give your customers a great guilt-free takeaway experience. Check out our online shop and discover 100% plastic-free bags and eco-friendly food carriers today.
Shoal, a traditional British seafood restaurant nestled in Winchester, came to the team at Takeaway Packaging in search of bespoke twisted-handle paper bags and specialised fish and chips boxes.
The government banned single-use plastic packaging in October 2023. These changes directly impacted the food service industry — read on to find out if your business is affected. You’re no longer allowed to use polystyrene food packaging and plastic cutlery. Instead, you are required to use eco-friendly alternatives. Fortunately, plenty of sustainable options are available, like bagasse clamshell food containers and biodegradable cutlery.
Pubs have evolved to be more than just alehouses, and the time of the gastropub is well and truly upon us. Your locals are now award-winning Indian restaurants, stonebaked pizza joints and delicious fish and chip shops. Menus are diverse, and in some cases, rival even the fanciest Michelin-star restaurants.
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