Due to consumer demand, most of Autobar’s punnets are now made from PLA, a vegetable polymer that is biodegradable and compostable. Autobar’s sales and marketing manager for Spain, John Oakley, says he would like to see retailers cutting back on the use of bags.
“Bags can be less expensive,” he says. “But as far as I’m aware they cannot be recycled into anything other than refuse bags.” He cites increases in transit damage to the fruit as a further drawback, highlighting the flexibility of punnets for packing, carrying and displaying.
Autobar’s latest addition to the grape packaging market is the hinged-lid Clamshell Punnet, complete with the air holes found on its range of “Air Conditioned Punnets”.
However, the international manufacturer is already looking into further developments for its punnet designs. Oakley says Autobar is investigating the possibility of implementing flatter lids to improve the appearance of the punnet and also the presentation of labels displaying nutritional information. “We are looking to enhance the protection to the product - to create a punnet that is not only fit for its purpose but meets a higher specification,” says Oakley. “We’ve got to have an ongoing programme for improvement. Retailers want manufacturers like us to come forward with suggestions for cleaner lines, and ease of packing.”
Autobar is aiming to introduce a variety of punnet sizes to retail grapes in 150g and 250g volumes, as well as the customary 500g and 1,000g versions.
Sealed Air, under its Cryovac trademark, has already developed two different sizes for its range of punnets. The SF500-83 punnet is designed to hold between 400g and 500g of grapes while the SF500-70 punnet is suitable for packing between 300g and 400g of grapes. And both packs fit into supermarket crates for ease of packing and transit.
According to Sealed Air’s spokewoman, Joanne Mitchell, Cryovac uses the latest grade of clear polypropylene material rather than PVC, which is generally deemed a less environmentally-friendly material. The polypropylene material is fully recyclable and accepted by all UK supermarkets.
“Cryovac products are designed to give good visibility of the fruit, but are strong enough to provide good protection,” says Mitchell. The punnets can also be fitted with one of its AirCap “Bubble Wrap” pads for extra protection, and flat printed lids can be used to make the packing process more efficient, avoiding the need to apply labels, she says.
In addition, Cryovac’s range offers the supermarket and the packer various closure options: one lid that fits the two depths of punnet, heat sealing both depths of punnet, to make them tamper-proof, or flow-wrapping both types.
This switch from clip-on lidded packs to tamper-proof punnets is the biggest change Amcor-Flexibles has observed since the start of the retailers’ move away from bags, according to technical applications and marketing manager, Jane Bicknell.
To this end, Amcor-Flexibles manufactures a heat-seal flexible film lid with punched holes, which eliminates tampering in store, since, unlike a clip-on lid, it cannot be resealed once it has been opened.
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