Westfalia Fruit’s business in France, an international supplier of tropical fruit headquartered in South Africa, has launched a new range of environmentally and consumer friendly packaging for avocados that dramatically reduces and replaces the use of plastic, eliminating altogether the use of black plastic which is difficult to recycle, whilst successfully maintaining fruit quality. These industry leading initiatives, were accurately researched and developed in advance of a new law banning plastic packaging on most fruit and vegetables, which came into effect in France from New Year’s Day 2022. Cucumbers, lemons and oranges are among the 30 varieties banned from being wrapped in plastic according to the new law.
These sustainable packaging alternative solutions include options with no plastic, or a significant reduction in plastic, reflecting Westfalia’s industry policy in terms of environmental sustainability including waste and carbon emission reductions.
Zero plastic options include a cardboard tray with a paper label or a paper band, that are fully compostable. Both are made with Forest Stewardship Council (an organization which promotes environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world’s forests) materials, guaranteeing that the cardboard used has been sourced from sustainably managed forests that consider people, wildlife, and the environment in the long term. The FSC is the only timber certification scheme endorsed by the conservation organisation WWF.
A heat seal film option includes recyclable plastic which contains a QR code on the packaging directing consumers to details of where they can recycle their plastic rubbish. A paper lid is also in development for this packaging.
Additional solutions include an FSC certified string bag and zero packaging natural laser marking on the skin of the avocado itself permitting logo & messaging placement.
