UK Food Producer Cuts Plastic Use by Nearly Half

A leading UK food producer supplying major retailers has achieved a significant reduction in plastic use after switching to a new high‑performance lidding film designed to improve both sustainability and pack functionality.

The company had been facing mounting pressure to cut plastic and enhance the consumer experience, as its existing multi‑layer laminate was causing poor peelability and inconsistent seals. The brief to suppliers was direct: reduce plastic, improve ease of opening, ensure reliable high‑speed sealing, and maintain flexibility across multiple tray formats.

Following extensive trials across production and the wider supply chain, the producer adopted Starlid GPE‑CL‑AF 18 PET, a mono‑web lidding film engineered for clean, consistent performance. The switch delivered immediate improvements, including clean, easy peel in one piece with no residue, stronger seals, better burst resistance, and optimised dwell times. The film also demonstrated universal sealing to both aluminium and PP trays.

Crucially, the mono‑web structure enabled a 48% reduction in plastic usage, while positioning the business for a future transition to paperboard trays.

The move has also resulted in improved yield, cost efficiencies, and a reduction in the number of lidding film SKUs required — creating a more streamlined and sustainable packaging system overall.

Industry observers say the case highlights how targeted packaging innovation can deliver meaningful sustainability gains without compromising performance or production efficiency