Karl Knauer & Krones develop sustainable alternative to shrink film

When it comes to reducing plastic packaging in food retail, the beverage sector holds the highest potential. An innovation recently presented by Black Forest-based German packaging specialist Karl Knauer and Krones, a system supplier to the beverage industry from Neutraubling, could revolutionize secondary packaging in the beverage segment. The internationally patented ‘LitePac Top’ cardboard carrier makes the conventional shrink wrap used for packs superfluous and therefore avoids unnecessary packaging, pack after pack. According to the press release, this makes huge savings potential for Western Europe alone, which uses 60,000 to 80,000 tonnes of shrink wrap per year. Cardboard instead of foil Between 1.5 and 2 billion returnable PET beverage bottles are still being sold each year in Germany alone despite the agreed-upon targets for banning single-use plastic products. The press release says, 2 liter, 1.5 liter, and 0.5 liter PET bottles are and will continue to be, the most popular form of packaging in the beverage segment. As retailers find these disposable plastic bottles easier to manage than glass, which is returnable bottles, the number…

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