Marketer commits to widespread roll-out of home-compostable labels following recent trial in France
Fresh Del Monte will put environmentally friendly, biocompostable stickers on all of the bananas it sells in Europe by 2023, Fruitnet can reveal.
The decision follows a recent successful trial of home-compostable stickers on the fruit in France.
The full roll-out will see the labels used in key markets like Germany, Spain and the Nordic countries.
Del Monte sells a number of different banana types in Europe, including Cavendish, a smaller ‘baby’ variety, and plantains.
It was one of the first brands in the world to introduce the fully recyclable, biocompostable stickers in January 2022, when it rolled them out to its entire range in France.
According to the group, the packaging was “extremely well received” across the industry and especially among retailers and consumers.
Approved for domestic recycling, none of the labels’ components – including adhesive and inks – has any harmful impact on the environment, the group said. As such, they meet all EU food safety regulations.
“We have a clear commitment to make fast and visible progress on reducing plastic in our packaging and bring forward initiatives that help the fresh produce industry to integrate a circular economy model that our customers and consumers are expecting,” explains Thierry Montange, marketing director for Del Monte Europe & Africa.
Del Monte bananas sold in Europe are sourced from Costa Rica, Guatemala and Ecuador, and sold under various certifications – SCS Sustainably Grown, Organic, Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade.
This story was updated on 13 September to replace the word ‘biodegradable’, which refers to any material that breaks down in the environment over time, with the word ’biocompostable’, which means specifically any natural material that can fully decompose into compost.
