John West tuna packaging shifts to recyclable aluminium strip solution

John West, a prominent name in the seafood industry, has introduced a groundbreaking initiative to enhance packaging sustainability. Partnering with Schubert Packaging Systems, CCL Label, and Touch Design, John West has implemented an aluminium strip solution known as Ecotwist in its ambient tuna packaging. This innovative approach facilitates easier recycling and annually eliminates approximately 65 tonnes of plastic shrink wrap.

The Ecotwist solution features a Smartstrip that consumers can effortlessly twist and pull to open the packaging. This user-friendly design, independently verified as fully recyclable, allows consumers to recycle their tuna cans, complete with the aluminium strip, through kerbside recycling programs across the UK.

By adopting Ecotwist, John West not only significantly reduces plastic waste but also avoids using around 300 tonnes of cardboard each year. This initiative aligns seamlessly with John West's ambitious goal to apply sustainable packaging to 100 per cent of its products by 2025, marking a crucial step forward in its unwavering commitment to environmental stewardship.

This strategic move underscores John West's leadership in promoting eco-friendly practices within the seafood packaging industry, setting a commendable example for sustainable innovation.

Managing Partner at Touch Design, James Pryor, said, "We tested around 20 sustainable packaging concepts. The John West brief was to create a 'Multipack 2.0' with minimal packaging to remove the plastic shrink and meet John West's sustainable packaging targets while keeping a multi-pack's integrity.

"Other packaging ideas would have required more material or added weight to each can, which John West wanted to avoid. We refined Ecotwist to be the simplest and most elegant solution."

CCL Label was crucial in ensuring that the aluminium Smartstrips were easy to open for consumers of all ages while maintaining their durability to withstand stacking and transportation.

Wayne Firth, UK Sales and Marketing Director at CCL Label, said, "Twisting and pulling a can off had to be a sensory experience. The Smartstrip needed to feel right, sound right, and look right."

"The labels we developed had to incorporate a lot of characteristics and the right amount of adhesiveness, which we ensured by subjecting the can towers to rigorous tests to ensure durability and ease of use."

Cyrille Zimmermann, Project Manager at Schubert, commented, "We designed, built and commissioned a groundbreaking new packaging technology that no one else has in this category anywhere in the world, giving John West a significant competitive edge to further differentiate itself in sustainable packaging."

Vikki Babb, International Marketing Director at John West, said, "We redesigned our cans to look more contemporary with added height, full lithography and an easy-open lid."

"We made the cans lighter and now pack the same amount of tuna into a lighter-weight can, saving over 400 tonnes of steel annually."

"We also reduced the other contents like sunflower oil, spring water, or brine that consumers typically discard to save an additional 1,500 tonnes of waste yearly. These changes lower our greenhouse gas emissions and move large volumes of our products into fully recyclable packaging to deliver against our sustainability commitments."