The food company aims to implement new sustainability commitments across its portfolio by 2030
Smithfield Foods has announced new recyclable packaging and plastic reduction goals. (Credit: Igor Ovsyannykov from Pixabay)
US-based Smithfield Foods has announced new recyclable packaging and plastic reduction commitments to reduce the impact on the environment.
The food company is planning to implement new commitments across its portfolio by 2030.
Smithfield Foods aims to achieve consumer packaging that is 90% recyclable, reusable and industrially compostable. It is also planning to halve the use of virgin petroleum-based plastic.
The company has created an internal cross-functional team to achieve these goals. The team will evaluate and explore new strategic packaging and plastic-use reduction options.
The team will initially focus on the identification and evaluation of replacements for products currently packaged using polystyrene (PS) trays.
Both the new recyclable packaging and plastic reduction goals are based on Smithfield’s zero-waste-to-landfill initiative.
The initiative helps to draft a plan to minimise overall solid waste sent to landfills 75% by 2025 through using or recycling materials once disposed of as garbage.
Smithfield Foods chief sustainability officer Stewart Leeth said: “Continual efforts to innovate packaging in favour of materials that can be recycled, reused and composted is an important component of holistic, sustainable food production.
“As a food-industry sustainability pioneer, Smithfield recognizes the importance of continuing to explore new ways to build upon our ambitious commitments and reduce waste across production and operations.”
In 2019, Smithfield Foods launched the Pure Farmland brand, as part of its sustainable efforts. Pure Farmland brand is a plant-based protein line, which features sustainable packaging and trays made from more than 50% recycled material.
Smithfield Foods is also a member of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) authority, which undertakes sustainable packaging and related initiatives.
In August last year, Smithfield Foods’ meat brand Eckrich announced new packaging for Deli meat collection to better promote the products.