Baby food brand, Piccolo, is becoming the first in the UK to launch a 100% recyclable baby food pouch.
How does it work?
Piccolo's new Yellow & Go baby food pouches are the first in the baby food industry which are could be suitable for closed-loop recycling. The new design is made using one material (rather than a composite (usually different types of plastic and aluminium) which means that the pouches can be used time and time again to make more reusable plastic.
Piccolo has partnered up with First Mile, to ensure that all parents can recycle their Yellow & Go pouches from home. The multipack box doubles up as a returns box, with a QR code that allows parents to simply download the free returns label to put on the box and send to First Mile. First Mile sends the pouches for recycling and they get turned into new Polypropylene (PP) products. First Mile is also working with Piccolo to explore the potential to use the recycled PP and help turn it into new food pouches.
Why now?
Piccolo believes that the time to act is now. Rather than wait for recycling standards to improve, it found a solution that allows consumers to recycle their pouches. Whilst other brands aim to improve the recyclability of their pouches in the next 3 to 5 years, Piccolo is taking steps now to ensure a greener and more sustainable future.
The launch is backed by one of the UK’s most experienced sustainability practitioners, Jonathon Porritt. Jonathon comments: “Piccolo launching the UK’s first 100% recyclable baby food pouch shows its commitment to future generations at a time where we’re facing a true climate emergency. We must act now to change, and I hope that this move will encourage other brands to follow suit.”
Piccolo’s founder, Cat, comments: “This is a really complex issue because of the lack of infrastructure to support recycling systems in the UK. We’re not prepared to wait years until the wider problem is resolved, so we’re working with First Mile to find the solution now. There’s simply no time to wait.”
The Yellow & Go pouches are the latest addition to the ‘& Go’ collection which launched in 2019 and are made of 80% plant-derived materials. The smoothies are a blend of bananas, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, mangoes, rice flour and coconut milk.
