Colpac, a leading provider of paperboard food packaging, is taking a significant step towards enhancing the accessibility of sustainability information for its customers. This initiative empowers consumers to make informed choices and take responsible actions when it comes to disposing of sustainable food packaging.

The company is not just focusing on its environmental commitment but also aims to educate its customers on recycling and composting, alongside detailing the material sources, thus fostering alignment with broader sustainability goals. Colpac’s endeavour coincides with WRAP’s Recycle Week 2023, which places emphasis on improving recycling rates, under the theme of ‘missed capture’.

To make the sustainability information easily accessible, Colpac has integrated Quick Response (QR) codes and specific recycling instructions on its packaging. These QR codes link to dynamic webpages hosted on Colpac’s new website, providing a wealth of information that cannot be feasibly printed on the packaging itself. This digital approach ensures that information remains current and adaptable, especially as legislation from various countries evolves. As a testament to their commitment, Colpac has not limited access to sustainability data to a select few. The credentials can be accessed via each product page on their website, ensuring all customers can gain valuable insights into their packaging choices.

Colpac’s dedication to sustainability isn’t confined by borders; their sustainability information is available in local languages. This is particularly significant as the information caters to the recycling schemes in the UK, France, and Italy, with the potential to expand to accommodate additional countries in the future. Colpac’s Head of Marketing and Product, Kate Berry, expressed their enthusiasm for this approach, saying, “We are delighted to have implemented a simple way for consumers to access sustainability data for our products. Our QR codes and on-pack printing simply demonstrates how they can do this.”

Colpac operates in over sixty countries, each with its unique recycling and composting regulations. This means that there is no universal set of instructions for recycling or composting their packaging. Colpac’s approach centralises the sustainability credentials, eliminating the confusion that can arise from varying national and regional directives.

Talia Goldman, ESG Manager at Colpac, highlighted the growing concern among customers and end-users for responsible disposal, stating, “Customers and end-users are more concerned than ever about wanting to dispose of their packaging responsibly. We hope that this will support consumers in recycling or composting our packaging, according to their national waste guidelines.”

Colpac’s commitment to making sustainability information readily available reflects their dedication to environmentally responsible packaging. By utilising QR codes and digital resources, they are not only helping consumers make informed choices but also contributing to the global effort to improve recycling rates.