Packaging protects the product and promotes the circular economy

Packaging plays a key role throughout a product’s life cycle. Its primary function is to protect food and ensure its safety and shelf life. Thus, packaging is also a significant means of preventing food waste. We are constantly developing our packaging to better suit the circular economy, and we are minimizing the amount of packaging material used.

Renewable and recycled packaging materials  

Our target is for 80% of Valio’s packaging materials to be made from renewable or recycled materials by 2030. 

Nearly all of our gable-top milk, buttermilk, cream, and yoghurt cartons are already made entirely from renewable materials*. Recycled material, on the other hand, finds its way back onto store shelves as new packaging: for example, our sliced cheese packages contain a significant proportion of recycled plastic. Currently, 9% of the material in our all-plastic single-use packaging is recycled plastic, and we are continuously increasing that percentage. 

Circular economy requires seamless cooperation

Packaging is a valuable resource only when it is returned to the cycle. For this reason, Valio actively strives to promote the circular economy. Our target is that all the single-use packaging for the products we make is recyclable by 2030**. 

Each package has written instructions to make sorting easier. From the outset, we design our packaging to be circular economy-ready and to support the recycling process. 

In addition to material choices, the physical design of the packaging also plays a key role in managing overall efficiency. Logistically efficient packaging improves transport load factors and supports resource efficiency throughout the supply chain. 

*Excluding 1.75 L Valio Whipping Cream and 1 L Valio Eila® Organic Semi-Skimmed Milk Drink

**Recyclability according to PPWR: A ≥95%, B ≥80%, C ≥70%; Valio aims for levels A-B (exceeding the minimum requirement of C).