i2r Packaging Solutions has developed an aluminium tray for fresh meat and seafood packs that is intended to eliminate with absorbent soakaway pads.

The Dimple Base Tray can hold liquid inside, so that the tray and pad functions are combined in one item.

This is said to support recyclability and cut packaging waste.

Tests revealed that the product can hold as much as 16ml of liquid, in line with the performance of a standard absorbent pad.

The same testing indicated the tray offers 30% more strength than a comparable conventional tray.

The company’s smoothwall trays currently include 54% recycled content, and i2r is aiming to raise that figure to 90% by the end of 2026.

The initial Dimple Base version has demonstrated the concept, and that more tray formats are planned to apply the design to a wider set of fresh food uses.

i2r sales director Tom Cliffe said: “For decades, absorbent pads have been viewed as an essential part of fresh protein packaging. We challenged that thinking by redesigning the tray itself, creating a solution that delivers the same performance while removing an unnecessary packaging component. The Dimple Base Tray demonstrates how intelligent design can simplify packaging, improve recyclability and deliver practical benefits for manufacturers, retailers and consumers alike.

"With billions of fresh meat and seafood packs produced every year, even small design changes can have a significant impact. The Dimple Base Tray offers the industry a practical, scalable solution that improves sustainability without compromising performance.”

In March, i2r Packaging Solutions appointed Benito Sala as its new managing director.

Sala steps into the role with more than 20 years of leadership experience across various sectors, including automotive, aerospace, and industrial manufacturing.