The British supermarket chain Aldi and Arla, the UK’s largest dairy cooperative, are working with the recycling platform Polytag on a pilot project. The aim is to track the recycling of milk bottle packaging using UV tagging technology.
Building on their collaboration from 2023, the companies aim to use this pilot project to improve the traceability of packaging and track how milk bottle packaging moves through the recycling process. To this end, Sun Chemical is supplying a specially developed ink for wrap-around labels to capture comprehensive recycling data. The labels, which feature UV tags, are applied to the milk bottles, and the labels printed by Saica Flex enable real-time tracking of the packaging within the recycling stream.
Luke Emery, Director of Plastics and Packaging at Aldi UK, explained: “This next phase of our collaboration with Polytag is an exciting step forward in the data-driven implementation of our sustainability strategy. By integrating this advanced traceability technology into our packaging, we can gain deeper insights into the life cycle of our materials.”
Helena Delgado Nordmann, Head of Sustainability at Arla Foods UK, added: “As Europe’s largest dairy cooperative, it is important to Arla to understand how our packaging behaves beyond the point of sale. By working with Polytag, we hope to gain valuable insights into how milk bottle packaging moves through the recycling system.”
Stefaan D’hoore, Director of Business Development, Specialty Ink & Coatings at Sun Chemical, explained: “This next phase of the collaboration showcases Sun Chemical’s proprietary fluorescent ink technology for wrap-around labels. The ink has been successfully tested in accordance with Recyclass’s ‘Washing Quick Test Procedures’ and the EPBP rapid test QT 507. It is approved for use on labels that can be optimally detected by Polytag’s ink-independent detection systems.”
Alice Rackley, CEO of Polytag, said: “This next phase of implementation, involving labels for milk bottles from Aldi and Arla, demonstrates the scalability and reliability of the UV marking solution. Working with Saica Flex on this stage of the project has been a pleasure and underlines the value of our partnership in bringing innovative packaging solutions to market.”
Sun Chemical
Sun Chemical, a member of the DIC Group, is recognised as a leading manufacturer of packaging and graphic solutions, colour and display technologies, functional products, electronic materials, and products for the automotive and healthcare industries.
