Earlier this year, Nestlé Smarties globally announced its switch to 100% recyclable paper packaging. The sustainable packaging solution was introduced to the South Africa market in March...
You may think our answer is obvious and potentially in contrast to those who believe that plastic is nothing but a pollutant. If most of our answer lies within the question, should the question not rather be 'why plastics cannot be banned?' Here's our perspective...
Issued by Mpact Plastics 8 Apr 2021
Wheat straw and mango peels that are normally disposed of in landfills or used as manure and animal feed could potentially be used in the development of renewable, biodegradable and non-toxic active food packaging that could help keep products fresher for longer...
Fibre Circle is calling on South African food producers to help drive awareness that food and beverage cartons are recyclable...
The pandemic calls for a paradigm shift in how the packaging industry meets consumer's safety concerns while addressing the threat of climate change...
Nthabiseng Motsoeneng 6 Jan 2021
The winners of this year's Gold Pack Awards were announced during an online ceremony last week. The awards platform is regarded as the premier event for South Africa's packaging industry...
During 2019, 503,600 tonnes of plastics waste was collected for recycling. Of this, more than half (362,800 tonnes) was packaging...
Tetra Pak Southern Africa continues to adapt its value chain to support the circular economy and meet growing demand for sustainable packaging from retailers and food and beverage producers...
Gearing up for the inaugural International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste on 29 September, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has unveiled a new platform...
Mpact Versapak, situated in Paarl, Western Cape and in Roodekop, Gauteng, is a leading manufacturer of plastic packaging and cling film, in Southern Africa...
Issued by Mpact Plastics 10 Mar 2020
First Choice has introduced its new fresh milk Extended Shelf Life (ESL) packaging made from bio-based material...
Swiss food giant Nestlé plans to invest $2.1 billion to cut its use of virgin plastics in favour of food-grade recycled plastics, and accelerate the development of innovative sustainable packaging solutions...
Fair Cape Dairies is continuing its sustainability journey by introducing reduced carbon footprint packaging for its long-life milk...
Unilever has invested €85 million in a new food innovation centre in the Netherlands, as the consumer goods giant looks to address "major global food system challenges".
The winners of this year's IPSA Gold Pack Awards, the premier showcase for the South African packaging industry, was announced at Inanda Club in Sandton on 30 October...
Lauren Hartzenberg 21 Nov 2019
A significant proportion of marine plastic comes from ships dumping their litter at sea in contravention of international law...
A mobile payment solution for Africa, by Africans, is the solution that the payments scheme Bluecode Africa is bringing to businesses, merchants and consumers on the continent...
Murray Gardiner, Issued by Bluecode Africa 27 Sep 2019
In line with Pick n Pay's plastic waste reduction initiatives, the retailer is rolling out a new, affordable reusable bag made from recycled plastic waste, which will be replaced by Pick n Pay for free...
Modern manufacturers must meet consumer demands for quality and cost while simultaneously recognising the emerging realities of climate change...
The big problem with plastics is that though they last for a very long time, most are thrown away after only one use...
Alvin Orbaek White 18 Jun 2019
The Product of the Year survey has revealed that Glad Zip Seal Resealable Bags has been voted the best product in the Food Packaging category...
With PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) and Polystyrene regularly under the spotlight, let's iron out some misperceptions and understand which accreditations and certifications to look out for in order to safely package our food...
Issued by Mpact Plastics 31 May 2019
Commercial refrigeration is a huge investment for retailers who produce and sell food. It is essential that these appliances be thoroughly cared for to ensure a safe, clean and hygienic environment...
The world generated 242 million tonnes of plastic waste in 2016 - a figure that's expected to grow by 70% in the next 30 years...
Jen Allan 27 May 2019
The research projects, presented in Vancouver, Canada to industry executives at the ICFPA-hosted international CEO Roundtable, were judged against the theme of disruptive technologies that can revolutionise the future of forest-based products and services...
The idea of a "biodegradable" plastic suggests a material that would degrade to little or nothing over a period of time, posing less of a hazard to wildlife and the environment...
Isabel Thomlinson 6 May 2019
This year sustainability was a golden thread throughout Propak Africa 2019, with many exhibitors embracing good environmental practices...
Danette Breitenbach 27 Mar 2019
For the first time in human history there is a proposal on the table that all the world's people follow the same diet...
Issued by Association for Dietetics in South Africa 19 Mar 2019
South Africa's most innovative consumer products have been recognised in the 11th annual Product of the Year awards...
Single-use plastics are a blessing and a curse. They have fuelled a revolution in commercial and consumer convenience and improved hygiene standards, but also have saturated the world's coastlines and clogged landfills...
Anastasia Telesetsky 8 Feb 2019
Wrapped, sealed, boxed, cling-filmed and vacuum packed. We have become used to consumables being packaged in every way imaginable...
Sabrina Chakori 5 Feb 2019
KFC, one of the world's largest quick service restaurant chains, has publicly committed to ensuring that all plastic-based, consumer-facing packaging across its global system will be recoverable or reusable by 2025...
As the desire for fresh local food continues to grow, farm-to-table dining is set to become an even more significant 2019 trend in the hospitality industry...
Sharmila Ragunanan 22 Jan 2019
Food processing and packaging company Tetra Pak is to become the first company in the food and beverage carton industry to offer full-colour digital printing on its carton packages...
Why has the world continued to increase consumption of plastic materials when at the same time, environmental and human health concerns over their use have grown?
Margaret Sobkowicz 17 Jan 2019
Within a year, single-use plastics and excess packaging have become Public Enemy No. 1...
Sylvain Charlebois 16 Jan 2019
With sustainability and recycling on the legislative agenda globally, it's only a matter of time before non-sustainable practices are met with penalties; and brands are taking preventative measures...
Packaging that lasts as long as it's needed, not longer...
Lauren Hartzenberg 22 Nov 2018
Nespresso will become the first company to use responsibly-sourced aluminium to produce its coffee capsules. The company has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with metal company Rio Tinto...
The Mpact Plastics Atlantis plant is now also FSSC 22000 certified. FSSC 22000 is an encompassing standard that is recognised by all stakeholders in the food industry and is also applicable to the food packaging industry...
Issued by Mpact Plastics 7 Nov 2018
Food losses and waste are an enormous drain on natural resources. Roughly one-third of the annual food produced globally for human consumption is lost or wasted...
Entries for the 2018 Amasa Awards are now open and an exciting new award, the Amasa Agency of the Year Award, has been added to the programme...
Issued by Amasa 14 Aug 2018
The Internet of Things (IoT) and its impact on food traceability will be instrumental in addressing everything from world hunger to improving food safety...
Stuart Scanlon 8 Aug 2018
Does our sensitivity to the planet's health depend on the status of our own, personal health?
Dr Craig Nossel 24 Jul 2018
From building alien spaceships on the set of the film District 9 to setting up his own hydroponic system at home, innovator Pierre "Pops" Pretorius always had an idea floating around in his head...
Farren Collins 22 Mar 2018
The dominant position that China holds in global manufacturing means that for many years China has also been the largest global importer of many types of recyclable materials...
Christine Cole 24 Oct 2017
A special UNIDO meeting on “innovation in infrastructure development and sustainable industrialisation” in developing countries, including Africa, took place in New York recently...
Another food scandal: this time eggs used for making sandwiches and other processed products that contain traces of an insecticide called fipronil...
Lisa Jack 16 Aug 2017