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Heinz announces plans to make sustainable paper ketchup bottles

The new paper ketchup bottle forms part of Heinz’s wider initiative to make all of its packaging recyclable, reusable, or compostable by 2025.

It’s time to play ‘Genuine or Greenwashing’ again. Come on down!

This week’s edition focuses on Heinz, as it’s unveiled plans to develop a recyclable paper bottle made from 100% sustainably sourced wood pulp.

Its globally recognisable ketchup bottle will be made in partnership with Pulpex, which produced a paper bottle for whisky brand Johnnie Walker, and will kickstart a company-wide initiative to go entirely green with all packaging by 2025.

Pulpex claims its paper-based packaging has a carbon footprint 90% lower than glass and 30% less than the most widely consumed plastic out there, PET.

The popularity of Heinz ketchup, quite frankly, is ridiculous. It’s most likely chilling in your cupboard right now, and is even permanently inked on the skin of four-time Grammy winner Ed Sheeran.

It continues to sell some 650 million bottles and 11bn sachets of the red condiment every year, which means a full-scale transition (if it actually materialises) could be a pretty big deal for limiting unnecessary waste.

The pair are in the process of developing the prototype container now, and hope it will soon be a common supermarket offering alongside its classic glass and squeezable plastic bottles – which are already manufactured using 30% recycled content with completely recyclable caps.

Tooting their partner-company’s horn for this newfound feeling of obligation, Pulpex stated: ‘When global household names like Heinz embrace this type of innovative technology, it’s good news for everyone – consumers and the planet.’

Now, as we previously eluded, there is room for scepticism here. Back in 2017, Heinz outlined similar plans to reduce its emission levels, energy and water use, and waste within its supply chain by 2020.

When the deadline actually rolled around, however, the company revealed it had fallen well short of all targets and had actually increased its water use and carbon footprint from 2015’s baseline.

It now has a second chance to make good on its promises, but rest assured that failure to meet the latest set of targets will not be received well.

Conscious consumerism is growing, and companies are being held to a higher standard of social responsibility as we draw ever closer to global climate accords.

Besides, on a more basic level, we’re all fed up of ruining our breakfasts over an ill-judged exertion of force on a glass bottle. Bring on the paper already!

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