Designing safe products for a circular economy
At Huhtamaki, we want to become the first choice for sustainable packaging. Transitioning to circularity is not just good for the environment, it is essential for food safety, resource conservation, and meeting the needs of next-generation consumers.
By designing packaging for circularity, we unlock new possibilities to meet society’s needs and protect our planet. As part of that process, we remain clear that during product design choices, such as materials or the structure of the packaging, we never compromise on the safety and quality of products used for food contact. Food safety and quality are non-negotiable. Every decision, from material choice to final structure, is made with consumer health and trust at the forefront.
Our ambitions related to circularity and product safety are
- Developing products ready to be recycled, composted or reused
- 100% of virgin fiber traced back to origin
- Maximizing the percentage of recycled or certified fiber
- All our products comply with Huhtamaki Global Food Contact Packaging Safety Policy
- Zero food contact compliance related claims reported
Read more about our performance here and in our Annual Report.
When developing our products, we are guided by the following key principles:
Material selection: As a company, we are material agnostic, and our choice of materials depends on multiple factors, including local regulations and available infrastructure. We strive to make the best possible choice in the selection of materials to ensure functional packaging ready to be recycled, composted or reused after use. We select materials based on science, sustainability, and local needs—always prioritizing renewable and recycled sources.
Product structure: We make sure circularity is considered in the product design and structure, by designing high quality, durable packaging that is fit for purpose, without excessive use of packaging, and by optimizing the amount of materials and resources used in our products while ensuring technical recyclability.
Product end-of-life: We are committed to increasing the recyclability of our products and enabling appropriate product end-of-life in accordance with local regulations and infrastructure. We use materials compatible with collection and recovery systems.