Cosmetic Business 2024: Berry Global internally sources post-consumer recycled packaging

10 Jun 2024 --- As the industry opts for more sustainable and plant-based cosmetic formulations, Personal Care Insights spoke with Berry Global at Cosmetic Business in Munich, Germany, to learn about circular packaging solutions, with a focus on post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials. 

Eva Martín, product line manager of Personal Care at Berry Global, told us “Circularity is one of the key pillars of our innovation strategy. Our company is a pioneer in circularity and recyclability. We were the first to have, implement or use a recycling facility.”

“There is no product on which we are working right now that is not going to be recyclable, refillable, or both at the same time or use PCR in the materials they are made of.”

FDA certified
Martín stresses that Berry Global is a packaging company that recycles its products.

“We have a new plan in the UK, and we are recycling plastic that comes from the UK market to create PCR, which we use to produce our products,” shares Martín. “The beauty of this PCR is that we made it intending to use it for food-contact or food-sensitive products. 

“So we created it and sent it to the FDA for certification. We got a non-objection letter from the FDA, so we can sell the PCR as approved or certified to be used with food-sensitive products.”

Berry Global’s circular solution is going to make a difference, according to Martín. “First of all, because it’s the first PCR to be in the market and is being internally sourced by a packaging company that can be used with creams or food-sensitive products.”

Watch our Video Interview with Berry.“We are implementing this PCR not only in our new products that will come in the future but also in our existing portfolio. So, most of our products in the dispensing portfolio are now available in this kind of PCR.”

Controlled value chain
Since Berry Global produces its PCR, Martín says it is “the owner of the complete value chain, which provides a lot of value to our customers.”

“We don’t have to queue up in a PCR supplier and say, we need this amount of material since we source it ourselves.” [It controls cost but] also the value chain lead time, which is significant and relevant in our industry. And again, we have the agility to produce the material, which gives us the agility to be faster.”

Berry Global previously created a range of reusable bottles from PCR plastic for UK-based cleaning company The Bio-D Company.

At the tradeshow, we connected with Albéa about its eco-top design and why CSR is paramount, and Caps & Closures offers start-up packaging and supply chain solutions.

In other interviews at Cosmetics Business, we spoke with Provital about its “ecosystem ingredient,” Cosphatec, its rosemary-sourced skin care preservative and Lignovations about the growing demand for upcycled lignin.

By Venya Patel, with reporting from Anita Sharma at Cosmetic Business 2024