Leading European packaging manufacturer Coveris has been announced as winner of the coveted New Product Award for Equipment/Packaging at The British Sandwich and Food to Go Industry Awards (The Sammies) 2019. Developed in a collaborative sustainability project, Coveris’ winning entry is Marks & Spencer (M&S) sushi packaging created in partnership with the retailer and food manufacturer Greencore.
Celebrating excellence and achievement in the sandwich and food-to-go industry, the prestigious Sammies Awards took place on Thursday 9th May at London’s impressive Royal Lancaster Hotel. Coveris was announced as winner of New Product Award in the Equipment/Packaging category for the launch of a new range of packaging for M&S sushi. The award recognises innovation and development in the introduction of new products in the market.
Developed in a sustainability project with M&S and Greencore, the packaging makes significant progress in the recyclability and overall weight of the range and a leading example of collaboration in driving change. The launch in January 2019 saw M&S’s sushi packaging move from clear plastic lids, black plastic bases and sustainably sourced cartonboard sleeves to window patched cartons manufactured by Coveris with accompanying clear PET inserts.
The launch delivers over a 30% packaging weight reduction across the range and uses 35% less plastic. Each pack features ‘Widely Recycled’ logos under OPRL guidelines, indicating 75% or more of local authorities have kerbside collection facilities for the materials used. This signifies an improvement from a combination of ‘Check Locally’ and ‘Widely Recycled’ OPRL logos used on the previous packaging, and a more circular approach in material selection.
Coveris’ Food-to-go Sales Director, Michael Conway said, “Coveris is extremely proud to win the prestigious and highly competitive New Product Award for Equipment/Packaging at the Sammies. We are committed to delivering sustainable and responsible packaging for the food-to-go sector and this award demonstrates the value of collaboration in developing packaging towards a circular economy; commitments highlighted in our Pack Positive® sustainability strategy. Through effective partnership with M&S and Greencore, we have improved recyclability and reduced pack weight, while developing the presentation and shelf presence of the range instore; a success story for food-to-go.”
Laura Fernandez, Senior Packaging Technologist at M&S, said: “At M&S, we’re committed to reducing our use of plastic packaging and believe it should only be used where there is a clear benefit. Our goal is to ensure all our packaging is widely recyclable by 2022 and we have already started phasing out non-recyclable packaging from our products. Working closely with our suppliers such as Coveris and Greencore plays a key part in helping us to go faster and further towards our targets.”
Simon Taylor, Packaging Development Manager at Greencore Northampton added: “This award is recognition of the three-way partnership between Coveris, M&S and Greencore to deliver lighter and 'Widely Recycled' sushi packaging. We are delighted that this innovative packaging has been recognised at The British Sandwich and Food to Go Industry Awards."
Winners of the Sammies Awards can be found by visiting: www.awards.sandwich.org.uk.
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