SPAR Austria Enhances “Freshness” of Produce with NatureWorks® PLA

Building on its reputation for innovation and customer convenience, SPAR Austria is packaging organic apples, pears and tomatoes in rigid trays sealed with a flow wrap film, all made from NatureWorks® PLA.

Made 100 percent from maize, NatureWorks PLA provides the convenience, look, feel and performance of petroleum-based plastic packaging – while enhancing the overall environmental impact. Retail success and research shows that consumers perceive that nature-based packaging enhances the appeal of fresh food, and strongly prefer products packaged in NatureWorks PLA containers.

“NatureWorks PLA is helping SPAR capitalize on the increasing consumer demand for both conveniently packaged fresh produce, as well as for the innovation that help them make more environmentally responsible purchases,” says Herbert Wandl, Purchasing Manager for fruit and vegetables at Spar Austria.

Since introducing NatureWorks PLA packaging at Loop Linz, an event to promote ecological issues in Austria in March 2005, SPAR has seen positive reaction from consumers, employees and the local press. “Our customers, employees and communities are proud of the standard that ‘their' supermarket, SPAR, is setting with NatureWorks PLA,” added Wandl.

While NatureWorks PLA offers performance that is competitive with traditional plastics, it also offers a significant brand advantage. According to Lisa Owen, global business leader for rigid packaging, NatureWorks LLC, “NatureWorks PLA provides retailers with a natural and convenient packaging solution for their customers. At first glance, consumers view NatureWorks PLA packaging as just another plastic container. Once they find out it's made from maize, however, consumers find the package and the product inside even more appealing.”

Two packaging manufacturers supply the transparent rigid tray and flowwrap made from NatureWorks PLA used by SPAR... Italian thermoformer, ILPA, produces the rigid trays and punnets while film manufacturer, Treofan, headquartered in Germany, supplies the flow wrap film, trademarked Biophan, made from NatureWorks PLA.

According to SPAR, the increased freshness of products in NatureWorks PLA packaging may go beyond consumer perception. Wandl reports that the shelf-life of tomatoes, biologic apples and pears packed in NatureWorks PLA is 10 to 15 percent longer than that of conventionally packed fruit.

To educate consumers about the benefits of NatureWorks PLA packaging, SPAR places an informational label on the outside of each package. The label indicates that the origin of the packaging is maize, promotes compostability and captures shoppers' attention.

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