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Aldi and Arla Foods UK are launching an eight-week packaging traceability trial using Polytag’s ultraviolet (UV) tagging technology to track milk bottles through the recycling system and generate data to support packaging sustainability decisions.
UK supermarket Aldi and dairy cooperative Arla are working with recycling platform Polytag on a pilot designed to provide greater visibility of the lifecycle of milk bottle packaging.
Building on a collaboration from 2023, the latest project uses UV-tagged wrap-around labels applied to Arla’s milk bottle range at its Oakthorpe site.
The labels are printed by Saica Flex using specially developed RecyClass-approved ink from Sun Chemical. They will allow packaging to be tracked as it moves through the recycling stream, generating data on recycling rates and the journey taken by individual items.
Luke Emery, Plastics and Packaging Director, Aldi UK, said: “This next phase with Polytag represents an exciting step forward in how we use data to drive our sustainability strategy. By integrating this advanced traceability technology into our packaging, we can gain deeper insights into the lifecycle of our materials.”
Helena Delgado Nordmann, head of sustainability at Arla Foods UK, shared: “As Europe’s largest dairy cooperative, Arla is committed to understanding how our packaging performs beyond point of sale. By working with Polytag, we hope to gain valuable insight into how milk bottle packaging moves through the recycling system, helping us to make moreinformed decisions about future packaging developments and supporting our ongoing efforts to improve packaging circularity.”
UV Tags Provide Real-Time Recycling Data
Invisible UV tags are printed directly onto packaging labels using food-safe fluorescent ink that has undergone safety and recycling testing.
The ink can be applied using standard printing methods without affecting production speed. Unlike the companies’ 2023 trial, which used pressure-sensitive labels, the latest pilot uses wrap-around labels to provide greater durability and coverage.
When packaging carrying the tags enters the recycling stream, Polytag’s Plastic Detection Units at Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs) capture barcode-level data in real time.
Brands and retailers can access the information through Polytag’s dashboard, providing visibility of packaging as it moves through the recycling process.
Alice Rackley, CEO, Polytag, said: “This next phase deployment with Aldi and Arla milk bottle labels demonstrates the scalability and reliability of the UV-tagging solution. This represents continued progress in packaging design, offering brands a seamless, cost-effective path to comprehensive recycling insights.”
Recycling Data Supports Packaging Sustainability Decisions
The trial is intended to provide Aldi and Arla with real-world packaging lifecycle data that can support future sustainability and packaging decisions.
According to Polytag, data captured through UV tagging can help brands measure progress against sustainability targets and support data-informed decisions that may identify opportunities to improve recyclability and recycling performance.
Polytag recently achieved a 100 per cent detection rate with packaging compliance organisation Citeo at a Materials Recovery Facility in France.
This article was produced by the editorial team at EME Outlook and published as part of the Outlook Publishing global network of B2B industry magazines.
Outlook Publishing delivers industry insights, company stories, and sector coverage across manufacturing, mining, construction, healthcare, supply chains, food production, and sustainability.
EME Outlook provides ongoing coverage of organisations and developments shaping industries across Europe and the Middle East.
