As the new strawberry season gets underway in Belgium, the cooperative is highlighting the benefits of its 100 per cent recyclable rPET punnets
Belgian cooperative BelOrta this week announced the sale of the first strawberries of the season to kick off the new season.
The strawberries, of the Sonata variety, were supplied by Meyers Softfruit from Riemst to Spar Colruyt Group.
“Each year, BelOrta sells 10,000 tonnes of strawberries from various cultivation systems, ranging from substrate or open ground cultivation under glass, in tunnels or open air,” the cooperative stated. “Traditionally, the strawberry variety Sonata is the first at BelOrta, but Elsanta, Sonsation, Portola, Malling Centenary and Elegance remain the main varieties.”
According to figures from GfK, the average Belgian consumed 1.8kg of strawberries in 2022, 5 per cent higher than 2021, with the peak coming between April and July.
The standard packaging for BelOrta’s strawberries is Rpet punnets, made from 100 per cent recycled PET material and therefore 100 per cent recyclable.
The Rpet punnet was launched in 2021, becoming one of the first examples of circular packaging in the sector, according to BelOrta, with a very low ecological footprint.
“The transition from PET to RPet punnets reduces CO2 emissions by no less than 450 tonnes per year, making it one of the most sustainable packaging on the market,” the cooperative said. “At the request of the customer, packaging can also be done in cardboard punnets.”
