MasterFood has announced a major step forward in its sustainability journey with a trial of new paper-based packaging for their MasterFoods Squeeze-On Tomato Sauce packs, which can be recycled via traditional kerbside recycling.
The MasterFoods Recyclable Squeeze-On Tomato Sauce packs are made in Mars Food & Nutrition’s manufacturing site in Wyong on the Central Coast.
The new paper-based packs contain 58 per cent less plastic than the original MasterFoods Squeeze-On packs, further contributing to Mars Australia’s aim of creating a circular economy and working towards Australia’s National Packaging Targets.
This innovation is the result of five years of research and development trials with $3 million invested in the project so far – a significant undertaking to ensure that the new paper-based packs are as easy to use as the much-loved original.
MasterFoods’ priority was to ensure that Tomato Sauce lovers should still be able to hold a pie in one hand, and the sauce in the other. To use, simply find the icon ‘this side up’ on the pack, pull the ends towards you, fold and squeeze.
After use, consumers can now put the empty paper-based pack in a recycling bin instead of general waste. The new MasterFoods paper-based packs make it easy-squeezy for consumers to recycle, without compromising on the taste of Australia’s favourite tomato sauce.
“The trial of paper-based MasterFoods Recyclable Squeeze-On Tomato Sauce packs marks another important milestone in Mars’ sustainability journey, and demonstrates the role the food industry can play in working towards a circular economy,” said general manager of Mars Food & Nutrition Australia, Bill Heague.
“Currently, over 240 million of our MasterFoods Squeeze-On packs are used each year – that’s nine packs for every Australian. We know that as we work towards more sustainable packaging, it’s important that we understand how it performs in market – with consumers, customers and through the packaging value chain.
“This trial will allow us to better understand how this new paper-recyclable squeeze-on performs so we can take these learnings forwards. If we transition our full portfolio to this new format over time, Mars Australia would be set to eliminate around 190 tonnes of plastic from our value chain a year.”
The trial has been designed in partnership with APCO – the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation – and will allow MasterFoods to collect important data on the performance of the new pack, including how to best educate consumers to recycle the product after use.
MasterFoods will launch a trial of its innovative paper-based squeeze-on packs in November 2024, and the packs should be available through to April 2025.
The trial will take place across a variety of locations, including sporting stadiums, petrol stations, mining sites, and pie shops. More than a million units of this new paper-based packaging will be evaluated by consumers during this trial.