Niemetz: 100% recycled PET
For the first 50 years of its existence, no-one even considered altering the packaging of Niemetz Schwedenbomben. Now the packaging is made of 100 % recycled PET (rPET), which improves its life cycle assessment results by as much as 32 %. No need to worry, though: It still has its nostalgic charm.
100 % Recycled PET Packaging
Vienna’s century-old confectionery maker is a pioneer of sustainable packaging in the domestic food industry. Since end-April 2020, Niemetz’s three signature sweets, Schwedenbomben, Manja and Swedy, have come in new rPET packaging.
What we do for Niemetz
The ambitious 2025 goals of the EU circular economy package place high demands on production, product design and packaging. Businesses have to step up to the plate and take responsibility.
Especially plastic packaging poses an enormous challenge: Austrian businesses need to double their recycling rate by 2025. Every single company needs to take action by switching to more recyclable packaging – and soon. Niemetz was quick to realise that circular design is a game changer that would allow them to meet the requirements.
After the successful implementation of 100 % rPET soft-drink and water bottles, we were able to make our mark together with Niemetz by creating food packaging out of secondary materials that meet the high quality and hygiene standards in this field.
Our experts know which types of packaging are hard to collect, sort or recycle – and which work well, thus contributing to climate protection.
Gerhard Schaller, CEO Niemetz Schwedenbomben
Christoph Scharff, ARA Managing Board
Roland Fehringer, Expert at c7-consult
Gerhard Schaller, CEO Niemetz Schwedenbomben
Christoph Scharff, ARA Managing Board
Roland Fehringer, Expert at c7-consult
The result
Experts at c7-consult conducted a life cycle assessment of the new packaging to analyse the performance of rPET blister packaging and compare it to alternative materials.
The findings are clear: The new rPET blister packaging performs considerably better in all environmental dimensions under review. The carbon footprint
of our rPET packaging is 32 % smaller than that of the former PET packaging.
No matter if the challenge is climate change, acid rain, air pollution or the eutrophication of water: the environmental impact of the new rPET blister packaging is up to 85 % lower than that of the alternatives.
The key findings of the study are available for download (German) here →
100 % recycled PET
Environmental impact down by 85 %
Carbon footprint down by 32 %
“Switching to rPET has allowed us to combine product protection, sustainability, brand nostalgia and uniqueness. From now on, we will be using rPET for all of our signature products, including Manja and Swedy. We will place not a single gram of virgin plastic on the market.”
Gerhard Schaller
CEO, Niemetz Schwedenbomben