Milk bottle made from biopolymer ‘mix’ said to be European first

RPC Promens Consumer Nordics has developed a one-litre milk bottle made entirely from a non-oil based biopolymer produced from sugar cane, with a unique twist.

The new ‘Modul’ bottle incorporates an additional feature that is now being developed –which is believed to be a first in the European market – that will see the polymer mixed with special mineral filler.

The addition of the filler is said to reduce the amount of polymer required for each bottle without impacting on its strength and performance, which will further enhance their environmental profile.

In its first commercial application, the Modul bottle has been selected by leading Swedish dairy company Skånemejerier for its range of non-homogenised milk.

“Sustainability is a vital consideration throughout all our operations including our packaging, where we always seek to choose a solution with minimal impact on the environment,” comments Armina Nilsson, Sustainability Manager at Skånemejerier.

“The new bottle from RPC Promens is ideal for our milk,” commented Thore Bengtsson, the company’s strategic purchaser. “We have an excellent working relationship with the company and their ability to handle the tight deadlines for this project was particularly beneficial.”

RPC Promens says that as consumers have taken a greater interest in the types of foods they are buying, their focus has started to switch to the packaging as well.

“According to Euromonitor, one of the top ten global trends in 2016 is greener food,” explained Senior Sales Manager Jan Weier. “Certainly there has been strong growth in organic food products in recent years and this has now led to more attention being paid to how they are packed. By using this new material, we can offer our customers a renewable and sustainable solution.”

The one-litre, white, blow moulded Modul bottle is available with a choice of closures and features a four-sided label applied by RPC Promens.