TETRA Pak, the world leader in food processing and packaging solutions, highlighted the importance of sustainable packaging solutions at a gathering of Arab beverage producers from across the region in Jeddah. Tetra Pak Arabia Environment Manager Mohamed Angawi addressed topics at the exhibition related to "Recycling: Tetra Pak's experiences in the Middle East." He highlighted information on Tetra Pak's recycling efforts in the region, and the opportunities and challenges faced in the region, with a plan to take the carton recycling rate in Arabia to 20 percent by 2020 from the current 3 percent. "Tetra Pak's concept of protection encompasses the protection of the environment. Our main goals relating to sustainability include the desire to reduce the carbon footprint across the value chain, develop a greater portfolio of sustainable products and increase recycling in Arabia. We aim to ensure that the environment remains strategically important for the food packaging industry in the Arabian region," Angawi said. Angawi emphasized a growing global trend that showed consumers prefer products that can be recycled. Environmental and energy factors have been found to be the most important aspects to shape the future of beverage packaging, and that this was compounded by consumer concerns on the environment. "Tetra Pak has always had a policy to focus on the sustainability aspect of packaging solutions. The fact that customers are now thinking, acting and buying green, further motivates us to provide beverage manufacturers with innovative sustainable solutions such as recyclable caps made from sugar cane. Tetra Pak aims to accelerate green product innovation to develop greener packages that offer the convenience and quality of traditional packaging at a competitive cost," he noted.
