Ineos Styrolution has expanded the commercial availability of recycled polystyrene in food packaging with the launch of sour cream cups containing 30% recycled content. The cups have been on sale in Aldi Süd stores across Germany since the beginning of this year, following a development partnership with Aldi Süd and Unternehmensgruppe Theo Müller. The initiative was recognised in July 2025 with the German Packaging Award in the “Sustainability: recycled content” category. According to the company, this represents its second commercial roll-out of food-grade recycled polystyrene with a leading German retailer, and is intended to support the scale-up of mass-market, circular packaging applications.
Positioning the move as part of broader efforts to decarbonise packaging, the company underscores both food safety and performance requirements as central to the project. The development is presented as a step toward making recycled content a standard feature in high-volume dairy formats, while leveraging existing polystyrene value chains for circularity.
“Ineos Styrolution is turning the promise of recycled polystyrene into a practical reality,” said Rob Buntinx, President EMEA. “We’re proving that circular solutions can meet both food safety standards and performance demands. We’re calling on the entire value chain to join us in making circularity the new normal.”
The roll-out is accompanied by regulatory preparations. The company has submitted a formal EFSA application for its novel recycling technology, aligning with the packaging sector’s preparations for stricter European Union requirements under the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation. Ineos Styrolution reports that multiple food-grade applications are already on the market, with further developments planned.
Regulatory and market context
With the industry anticipating tighter rules under the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, food-contact compliance and demonstrable recycled content are becoming central to packaging specifications. The EFSA submission cited by the company indicates a focus on establishing a regulated pathway for its recycling process. Within this context, the sour cream cups highlight the use of recycled polystyrene in direct food contact, an area where verification of safety and performance remains a priority for brand owners and retailers.
Photo: Unternehmensgruppe Theo Müller
Collaboration and next steps
The project brings together supply chain partners including Aldi Süd and Unternehmensgruppe Theo Müller, aiming to deliver consistent quality and shelf performance at scale. According to Ineos Styrolution, this second market deployment of food-grade recycled polystyrene with a leading German retailer builds momentum for wider adoption. The company positions the initiative as part of a transition from single-use models to scalable circular solutions for mainstream food packaging.
