It is crucial for our sustainability ambitions that we reduce our amount of packaging and that the packaging we use is recyclable. Therefore, we have set an ambitious goal that 100 percent of Danish Crown's products by 2030 must be packed in recyclable packaging. At the same time, we aim to reduce the amount of packaging, so that in 2030 we spend 30 percent less than we do today. But already in 2025, we aim for 90 percent of our packaging to be recyclable, and to reduce the amount of packaging by 15 percent.
Read more about packaging strategy
Collaboration is crucial
We are dependent on working together to achieve the best results. That is why we encourage collaboration and invite both established companies and start-ups with innovative ideas to develop the packaging of the future with us. Alone we can do a lot, but together we can do almost anything.
Internally, our business units also continuously examine the market for sustainable packaging solutions and share experiences from testing and implementing new solutions with each other. In recent years, we have introduced a number of new and more sustainable packaging. Explore them below.
Meat trays
In Denmark, we reduced the volume of plastic for meat trays by making around 6.5 million trays 10 per cent thinner. At the same time, we increased the volume of recycled PET plastic to 90 per cent, and if the trays are sorted correctly, the volume of new plastic produced may
Mou foils
By changing the packaging material used for Mou meat balls with a recyclable OPP/PE foil, we replace around 30 tonnes of plastic. The next step is the foil used for Mou soups and the film used for GØL and Steff Houlberg sausages.
Salami topfoils
The top foil used for sliced salami and other cold cuts has been changed from a deep draw lid to a resealable flat top lid, which has reduced plastic packaging by more than 25 per cent. Other cold cut packages now have a new bottom foil, which has reduced plastic packaging by 28 per cent. These changes provide a total annual reduction
of around 37 tonnes of plastic.
Bacon packaging
We are introducing a new packaging material for bacon in all of Europe. The packaging consists of a sub-foil of 80 per cent recycled plastic, bringing the total share of recycled plastic used in the packaging at minimum 60 per cent. Labels and sleeves not included.
Tube packaging
Tube packaging for mincemeat uses almost 90 per cent less plastic than traditional meat trays.
FlatSkin
FlatSkin packaging used for ‘Dansk Kalv’ products uses 60 per cent less plastic and may be easily sorted as the plastic and cardboard are easy to separate.
According to the UN, 17 percent of all food ends up in the trash. It is expensive for the consumer, but also for society, because food waste accounts for up to 10 percent of the world's CO2 emissions. Therefore, we have decided that if a new type of packaging shortens the shelf life of the product, then we will not use that packaging.
Read more about how we’re fighting food waste
We will never compromise on food safety, durability or the quality of our products when choosing a new packaging. Not even if that packaging scores high on sustainability. We can’t tolerate if food safety can be questioned in any way, and we believe that consumers fully agree with that priority.