Sustainable packaging at Verival

To be honest, the packaging design of our muesli, porridge and Crunchys has always been particularly important to Verival and, admittedly, it makes us proud. The feedback we receive for our layouts is overwhelming.

But of course packaging has to do much more than just look good. It's not for nothing that this is one of the most frequently asked questions about our packaging: Why do you still use plastic?

To answer this question, we would like to delve a little deeper into the subject and give you an insight into the many complex considerations involved in packaging.

What types of packaging does Verival use?

First of all, an overview of the types of packaging and materials used for our breakfast products:

• the plastic bag for our large packs, flake products and portion packs
• the “bag in box”, i.e. a plastic bag in a folding box made of cardboard, for our mueslis, porridges, crunchies in normal size and our seed mixes
  
• the outer cartons for stability during transport and for the shipment of online orders
• the filling material for online orders made from recycled cardboard

The Verival packaging: 6 core considerations

1. Better safe than sorry. And longer lasting.
2. “Made for Recycling” is the new “compostable”.
3. Knowing what's inside.
4. Using every millimeter.
5. Providing insights.
   
6. We want to be the first.

1. Better safe than sorry. And a longer shelf life.

The main task of packaging is clear: to protect its contents from external influences – for as long as possible. The material that (unfortunately) still best fulfills this purpose is plastic.

It protects the contents from moisture and microorganisms and forms a barrier between the food and the environment. This guarantees an optimal shelf life, which is also extremely relevant from a sustainability perspective. The sooner a food reaches its best-before date, the faster it is disposed of.

Global food waste is a significant factor in climate change. Around a third of all food worldwide is thrown away, even though more of the Earth's resources are used every year than its ecosystems can reproduce – sometimes for the production of this very food.

To cut a long story short, decisions in the field of packaging are always a matter of weighing up the options. Do we want to use biodegradable materials and thereby reduce the shelf life of muesli and the like? Or do we want to continue using plastic that only begins to decompose after several hundred years?

2. “Made for recycling” is the new “compostable”.

Despite the disadvantages of plastic, there is unfortunately currently no alternative that makes ecological sense in the food sector when it comes to durability.

Plastic compared to so-called biodegradable packaging

The compostable plastic alternative currently available on the market, wood film made of cellulose, is theoretically biodegradable, but definitely not in your own organic waste or compost. This is because not enough heat is generated here, which the material would need to be able to decompose properly. If it is disposed of in conventional organic waste, it cannot rot and becomes sticky. And if proper disposal options are lacking, it cannot be considered a sustainable solution.

The future belongs to recycling

We are convinced of this. After all, the goal must be to extend the life cycle of existing materials as much as possible so that fewer resources are needed to produce new materials. That is why we focus on recyclability in our packaging and are pleased that our breakfast products have been awarded the “Made for Recycling” certificate.

What does “Made for Recycling” mean?

“Made for Recycling” is an official quality seal for packaging that demonstrates a certain level of recyclability. This level of recyclability is determined using a standardized evaluation method. This method was developed by the environmental services provider Interseroh together with the bifa environmental institute and tested by the Fraunhofer IVV. As part of the analysis, the entire after-life process is examined – this includes the collection, sorting, recycling and processing of the packaging material.

3. Know what's inside.

Whether you have known our brand for a long time, have just recently had your first Verival breakfast, or have just become aware of us, you probably have a lot of questions about our products. We want to answer the most important ones on the packaging so that you can find all the relevant information at a glance in the supermarket.

4. Using every millimeter.

A tiny detail can make a big difference: last year, in addition to some visual tweaks, we also made another change to our packaging:

All muesli, porridge and crunchy packs were made about 3 millimeters narrower – while the contents remained the same – to be able to fit more products on a pallet.

This table is intended to show you the effect of this adjustment. It shows how many packs of crunchy and porridge can be transported on a truck before and after optimization:

So, 20% more packages of both products can now be transported per truck. This small change, which probably went unnoticed by everyone, ensures optimal use of space on transport pallets, which in turn has a very positive effect on the CO2 balance.

5. Providing insights.

We have provided all “bag-in-box” packages with a viewing window wherever space permits. This way, you can see what the muesli looks like before you buy it at the supermarket. After all, you eat with your eyes first, right?

6. We want to be the first.

There is currently more happening in the packaging and recycling sector than almost anywhere else. That's why it's clear to us: we're staying on top of it and want to be the first when it comes to further optimizing the recyclability of our packaging.