Amcor introduces ultra-thin shrink bag for meat packaging
Amcor’s new Clear-Tite 40 shrink bag offers a 19% weight reduction compared to standard 50µ bags, potentially lowering EPR fees for meat processors while maintaining product freshness and visual appeal.
Amcor, a global leader in responsible packaging solutions, has unveiled its latest innovation in meat packaging: the Clear-Tite 40 shrink bag. This new offering, at just 40µ thick, represents a significant advancement in shrink bag technology, promising benefits for both manufacturers and consumers.
Thinner yet effective
The Clear-Tite 40 achieves a 19% reduction in weight compared to standard 50µ shrink bags, whilst still providing the high level of protection expected from such packaging. The oxygen and moisture barriers crucial for maintaining meat product freshness remain intact, as does the robust seal necessary for safe handling and transportation.
Robert Kleinschmidt, Vice President of the Meat Business Unit at Amcor, said: “Amcor remains a reliable packaging partner. Our technical expertise, combined with our sustainability knowledge and operational capabilities, helps customers to achieve their sustainability goals with the best packaging solutions.”
Environmental considerations
The reduction in material usage translates to an estimated 16% decrease in the packaging’s carbon footprint, according to Amcor’s ASSET Life Cycle Assessment system. This cradle-to-gate analysis compares the baseline packaging to the new product.
Moreover, the lighter weight of the Clear-Tite 40 could lead to substantial savings on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) fees. Amcor suggests that customers currently using 50µ shrink bags could potentially reduce their EPR fees by up to 19% by switching to the new product.
Precision in manufacturing
A key feature of the Clear-Tite 40 is Amcor’s precise control over thickness and weight. This uniformity ensures that customers consistently receive 40µ thick bags, addressing an industry challenge where variations in thickness can lead to increased costs and higher EPR fees.
Maija Fjällström, Senior Product Development Engineer at Amcor, explained: “Meat manufacturers must carefully select their packaging to maintain a balance between sustainability and product quality. Amcor’s new Clear-Tite 40 makes that simple. It works perfectly even at high humidity levels, enabling superior shelf life while ensuring that meat products look their best on the shelves.”
Consumer benefits
Despite its reduced thickness, the Clear-Tite 40 maintains high visual properties, allowing consumers to clearly view products at the point of purchase. The shrink bags are also printable, offering brands the opportunity to enhance shelf appeal with eye-catching, wrinkle-free packaging.
The development of the Clear-Tite 40 represents a significant step forward in sustainable meat packaging. As Rosalia Rosalinova, Senior Marketing Manager at Amcor, noted, “The technical requirements for shrink bags make them notoriously difficult to make more sustainable, so the launch of Clear-Tite 40 is a major breakthrough for the industry.”
