SIG announced that it has been formally recognised by the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) for meeting the highest criteria for recyclability under the APR Design^® Guide for Plastics Recyclability. This recognition applies to the SIG Terra RecShield BD bag-in-box package featuring SIG Terra FlexTap, SIG’s industry-leading beverage tap for bag-in-box packaging – marking a milestone as the first wine packaging solution from SIG to achieve APR Design^® Recognition.

This latest innovation joins SIG’s growing portfolio of APR Design^® Recognized, recycle-ready solutions, including:
SIG Terra RecShield PE-42B for water (2021) and SIG Terra RecShield D for post-mix syrup (2024). APR Design^® for Recyclability Recognition provides third-party validation that a package or packaging component’s design is compatible with the North American recycling system.

With the wine bag-in-box solution now recognised, SIG continues to lead in designing for recyclability across major product categories.

The newly recognised packaging consists of a thoughtfully engineered structure that was validated through the APR’s Critical Guidance Protocol (FPE-CG-01 Path 1A), the most stringent pathway for establishing recyclability in North America.

Teresa Bernal-Lara, Ph.D., Global Head of Film Development, Bag-in-Box and Spouted Pouch at SIG, said: “Wine brings unique packaging challenges, particularly when it comes to balancing oxygen barrier, ease of dispensing, and robustness throughout conversion, filling, and distribution with recyclability. With SIG Terra RecShield BD, we’ve developed a recycle-ready laminate that performs under the rigorous demands of wine distribution and preservation. Through market-leading packaging engineering, we’ve enabled this complex bag-in-box, comprised of SIG Terra RecShield BD Laminate and SIG Terra FlexTap, to be reprocessed into new materials – demonstrating that even highly functional barrier packaging can be circular by design.”

Jami Leveen, Head of Sustainability at SIG North America, adds: “Reaching this milestone shows we can prioritise sustainability and circularity while also providing excellent product protection, quality, and reliability. This peace of mind helps customers fulfill their corporate responsibility goals while also providing the best possible consumer experience.”

This recognition is the third in SIG’s Terra portfolio to receive APR Design^® for Recyclability Recognition – each tailored to a different application, each pushing the boundaries of sustainable packaging design. Together, they showcase SIG’s ongoing mission to simplify structures, minimise waste, and support decarbonisation across the global food and beverage supply chain.

By meeting the highest recyclability standards while maintaining product protection and dispensing functionality, SIG’s bag-in-box wine solution helps brands deliver on both performance and sustainability – continuing SIG’s journey to package for better.

Clearly and successfully communicating sustainability credentials to consumers is key to developments in food and drinks packaging. This benchmark has been crowned by Innova Market Insights as the Top Packaging Trend in 2020. Innova’s consumer research indicates that consumer expectations around sustainability are higher than ever, pushing companies to prioritize eco-efficiency, especially in reducing food and plastic waste. In response, the food industry is increasingly committing to answering a more mindful consumer’s expectations in this area, while marketing this commitment on-pack.

Innova Market Insights continuously analyzes global developments in food and drinks launches and consumer activities to highlight the trends most likely to impact industry over the coming year and beyond. Its top five trends packaging trends for this year are:

1. The language of environmental sustainability
As consumer expectations continue to grow, companies are increasingly using packaging as a canvas to communicate sustainability. Over the 2015 to 2019 period, over one-third of all food and beverage launches tracked by Innova Market Insights carried an ethical packaging claim (e. g. recycled or recyclable materials). A whole range of different avenues can be used for storytelling to communicate packaging sustainability, which encompasses energy use, renewable materials, plastic free, source reduction and end of lifecycle. The use of trust certifications, marks and logos, such as Plastic Free and Metal Recycles Forever, increasingly used to communicate resource circularity.

2. Plastics come full circle
As circular economy targets loom on the horizon, the incorporation of recycled plastics into packaging is on the rise, with PCR (Post Consumer Recycled) supply partnerships and chemcycling tie-ups rising globally across a range of industries. In the meantime, more bottles are hitting the 100 % recycled plastics milestone, while other formats such as trays and pots are playing catch up with increasingly high percentages of PCR material. As suppliers come up with more recycle-ready mono-material solutions, developments such as NEO plastics can increase energy output at landfills. A rising tide of companies are supporting initiatives aimed at mitigating the impact of plastic pollution, particularly ocean clean up.

3. Packing an e-punch
Continuing strong growth in online retail channels with an associated rise in demand for corrugated board is driving e-commerce packaging. Developments in strong, lightweight recyclable boxes made with minimal resources aim to minimize damage during transit, while still offering a unique and engaging unboxing experience for consumers. There is also ongoing activity in sustainable alternatives to single-use protective filler materials, as well as developments offering a reduced carbon footprint.

4. Internet of packaging
As IoT (Internet of Things) technologies become all-pervasive, QR codes, NFC and blockchain are elevating engagement and transparency. Top reasons for scanning include promotions/rewards, interactive content, product authenticity, supply chain transparency and consumer brand engagement. The use of blockchain, for instance, can offer traceability and transparency, while NFC can be a valuable avenue for digital storytelling.

5. Plant-based packaging
There is an increasing focus on developing biodegradable and compostable alternatives from renewable resources. Cellulose-based packaging has been at the forefront of plant-based innovation, but there are numerous developments in biodegradable/compostable initiatives, led by snacks and confectionery, which accounted for over 60 % of global food and drinks launches with certified compostable claims tracked by Innova Market Insights over the 2017 to 2020 period.