Award for pioneering soft plastic recycling project

A collaborative project to develop Heinz Beanz Snap Pots made with 39% recycled plastic has been recognised with a Silver Award in the global Packaging Innovation Awards.

A first of its kind project launched by Heinz and Tesco in 2022 to recycle more soft plastics in the United Kingdom has just received a Silver Award in the global Packaging Innovation Awards. The project brings together Heinz and Tesco with packaging industry leader Berry Global and recycling technology experts Plastic Energy and Sabic

The award recognises how the project has delivered improved sustainability for the Heinz Snap Pots used for baked beans in tomato sauce while retaining what makes them so popular with consumers: handy snappable format, microwave-ready and freshness retention.

Collaboration covers the full circle
The Heinz Snap Pots produced by Berry Superfos use 39% ISCC PLUS-certified (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification) recycled soft plastic on a mass balance basis. Soft plastic is returned by consumers to and collected by Tesco stores for conversion by Plastic Energy into an optimal oil feedstock. This is combined with virgin material by Sabic to produce an alternative feedstock to manufacture recycled food-contact approved plastic pellets.

These are sent to the ISCC-certified Berry Superfos site in Bremervörde, Germany, for manufacturing into new Heinz Beanz Snap Pots after extensive trials led by Sabic, Berry Global and KraftHeinz to select the correct polymer compositions to achieve the challenging technical requirements. After use the Heinz Snap Pots can be recycled through kerbside collection.

By diverting, recovering and upcycling plastics which would otherwise have been sent to landfill or incineration, this project helps to promote and support the move towards a circular economy.

“We are proud to be part of the collaborative project to develop Heinz Beanz Snap Pots made with recycled plastic and thrilled about this important award. The project demonstrates the effectiveness of a collaborative and cross-industry approach involving all stakeholders in achieving innovative circular packaging design,” says Søren Rohleder, CEO of Berry Superfos.

Award to inspire the next big ideas
The Packaging Innovation Awards is the packaging industry’s premier awards competition, recognising the best in packaging design, encouraging advancements in sustainability and performance, and inspiring the next big ideas. The awards look for creations that challenge the accepted limits of what’s possible, showcase new technologies or techniques, and inspire future innovation.