The company bringing the paper wine bottle to market is now taking on the likes of Tetra Pak with the launch of a paper juice carton.

Paper packaging supplier GreenBottle claimed its “competitively” priced environmentally-friendly carton could spell “the beginning of the end” for laminated juice containers. GreenBottle’s carton has a biodegradable cardboard exterior with a thin plastic lining, which can be removed so the two components can be recycled separately.

Laminated beverage cartons - made up of layers of plastic and wood fibre - have to be sent abroad for recycling. And only 43% of local authorities currently offer kerbside collection - though this is expected to rise following the announcement that a carton recycling plant is to open in the UK (see p6).

GreenBottle said it was in talks with suppliers and retailers about using its juice cartons, which are made using a patented pulp-moulding technology that allows it to offer a wide range of packaging shapes and emboss cartons with images of fruit.

The producer already sells a paper milk bottle through Asda stores in the South West, and earlier this month revealed it had signed a deal with wine supplier Kingsland Wines and Spirits to produce a paper wine bottle.

“We have created not only an environmentally friendly packaging concept, but also a versatile, robust and commercially viable one,” said GreenBottle chairman Paul Bateman. “The downfall of many a great green product is the process used to create it - and we’ve cracked it.”

Topics