„Packaging is a highly complex subject“

In a brief interview, Katharina Staudacher, founder of the start-up company Foodloose in Hamburg, talks about the challenge of packaging an organic product as ecologically as possible.

Doesn’t the snacking boom contradict the idea of sustainability?

The snacking boom contradicts the idea of sustainability quite clearly. It is irresponsible to package small Bite-Sizes individually, as well as inside a plastic bag.

On the other hand, there is the desire of retailers and consumers for ever new snack variants in small hand-out sizes. Is there a way out of this dilemma?

Here the manufacturers are called upon to develop innovative packaging solutions that are environmentally friendly, but at the same time also meet the high demands of the trade as regards shelf life and that guarantee standardized quality in the production process. In our opinion, policy-makers must also make a contribution and promote innovations in the field of material development and recycling technology.

Foodloose advertises 100 percent organic. What are you doing to reduce packaging waste?

We have taken the „Reduce“ principle to heart in the development of our new fruit hearts and reduced the film thickness by 20 percent compared with the film of the nut bars. The second most important measure is proper disposal. Our packaging films are made of OPP or BOPP. These are standard plastics which are very frequently used in the food industry. PP is basically well suited for recycling. Like all other packaging plastics, it should be disposed of via the Dual System and not via the residual/household waste.