Klöckner Pentaplast (kp) and GranTerre, one of the leading producers of sliced meats for the Italian and international markets, have been recognised with the Best Packaging Award at the Italian Packaging Awards for a jointly developed rigid mono-material polyethylene terephthalate (mono PET) pack. The solution delivers full recyclability, a high share of recycled plastic and use properties and shelf life comparable to conventional multilayer barrier structures. The project reflects growing regulatory and market requirements to design packaging for recycling while maintaining the quality and safety of food packed in modified atmosphere.
Mono-material barrier packaging based on mono PET
The awarded pack is a rigid barrier mono PET structure marketed as kp MonoSeal HB R. This material replaces non-recyclable, multi-material multilayer structures with a homogeneous PET-based plastic designed for recycling in existing packaging waste streams. A key feature of the solution is the absence of a barrier layer made of ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH), which has traditionally limited recyclability, combined with the need to maintain a gas barrier level suitable for cooked and cured meats.
The mono PET structure developed by kp has been designed to provide the same functionality and durability in chilled distribution as standard complex films and laminates. In practice this means maintaining the required seal integrity, mechanical strength, pack transparency and dimensional stability on packaging lines using sealing and modified atmosphere packaging technologies.
High recycled content and alignment with future PPWR requirements
The kp MonoSeal HB R material contains up to 50% post-consumer recycled feedstock, including a Tray2Tray component sourced from a closed-loop tray recycling system. This means reusing rigid PET trays after their separate collection and processing into regranulate, which then returns into production of new food packaging. As a result, the consumption of virgin material is reduced while the material remains in a high-quality recycling stream.
According to the producer, the awarded pack is fully recyclable and has been designed to comply with the forthcoming requirements of the proposed PPWR regulation on packaging and packaging waste in the European Union. In practice this includes the use of mono-material structures, integration of post-consumer recycled content and designing packs for efficient sorting and processing in recycling facilities.
Validation on GranTerre production lines
Before the awarded solution was implemented, extensive industrial testing was carried out, covering material performance on packaging lines, machinability and impact on product shelf life across the full GranTerre range of sliced cooked and cured meats. Based on these tests, the new pack was validated as a high-performing solution that is ready for future regulatory and market requirements.
The test programme included evaluation of sealability, stability of formed trays, barrier performance over the declared shelf life and compatibility with existing packaging machinery. It was confirmed that the mono PET pack provides performance comparable to the multilayer barrier structures used so far, while allowing packaging waste to be directed into high-quality material recycling.
The importance of combining performance and recyclability
GranTerre representatives highlight the importance of treating product protection requirements and end-of-life management of the pack as equally important. Marco Alberti, R&D Packaging Manager at GranTerre, comments on the cooperation with kp as follows: "This project shows what can be achieved when performance and recyclability are treated as equal priorities. By working closely with kp, we have validated a new packaging solution that protects product quality while significantly improving its end-of-life recyclability. This award recognises our shared commitment to innovation, sustainability and responsible packaging design."
On the Klöckner Pentaplast side, the focus is on collaboration across the packaging value chain and on demonstrating that recyclable formats can replace complex multilayer structures without compromising functionality. Claudio Fornaciari, Business Development Manager, kp Food Packaging, states: "We are proud to partner with GranTerre on a solution that proves recyclable packaging can deliver the same performance as complex multilayer films. This award highlights the value of collaboration across the supply chain and reinforces our commitment to designing packaging for recycling, integrating recycled content and supporting the transition to a circular economy."
