GPI, Butcher’s partner to reduce plastic packaging waste in pet food

Butcher’s is a British manufacturer of food for dogs.

The collaboration has the potential to eliminate the use of 6.4 million sqm of plastic wrap a year, equating to 92 tonnes of plastic. This supports Butcher's move to offer recyclable packaging to its customer base.

The fully enclosed carton is made from 100 percent recyclable post-consumer waste and is the first of its kind in the pet care market to be manufactured in the UK.

Glyn Champion, UK sales director at GPI, commented: ‘Replacing Butcher's existing shrink film wrap with a fully enclosed carton was a very straightforward process for GPI. Our challenge, as an established sustainable packaging provider, was how we could add value to the solution that differentiates Butcher's from its competitors.

‘To achieve this, we've added easy-open tear strips. And for the larger packs in the range, which are typically difficult to handle, we've introduced a twin layer pack that incorporates a carry handle feature. These elements were not present in the previous shrink film design.’

The use of Aqua-Kote virgin craft board for a premium look and optimum tear strength has increased shelf standout in a notoriously competitive space and enabled post-consumer recyclability.

To facilitate the production of the new fully enclosed carton concept, GPI has installed one of its Quickflex twin stack machines at Butcher's site in Crick, UK. The machine is engineered to accommodate multi-diameter/multi-height cans with tool-less changeovers and pack at high speeds.

Rachel Collinson, general manager at Butcher’s, added: ‘We're delighted that our natural, nutritious food for dogs can now be packaged in a solution that's reflective of our brand ethos and has the eco-credentials our customers quite rightly expect.’