Finnish retail group Kesko has announced a comprehensive update to its packaging policy, aiming to enhance the sustainability and recyclability of materials used in the packaging of its own-brand products by 2029.
The initiative is set to align with upcoming EU regulations that mandate recyclability and the use of recycled materials in packaging by 2030.
The company will prioritise renewable materials such as paperboard and corrugated cardboard for its own brands, including Pirkka, Pirkka Parhaat, K-Menu, and Cello.
Kesko sustainability vice-president Noomi Jägerhorn said: “We combined our plastics policy from 2018 and our packaging policy from 2020 into one new packaging policy. At the same time, we set new objectives for the packaging used for our own brands and for the packaging used in our own production and warehouses.
"In practice, this means we will reduce the amount of packaging material used, increase the use of renewable materials and improve the recyclability of packaging.
“In the design of packaging renewals, it is important to remember that the most important function of packaging is to protect the product. Food that is properly packaged remains safe and edible for longer and food waste is avoided."
By the end of 2029, Kesko aims to ensure that all packaging for its own brands, as well as packaging used in its own production and warehouses, will be either recyclable or reusable.
The company will use either Forest Stewardship Council- (FSC) or Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC)-certified single-use wood-based packaging.
The transition has already seen progress, with the packaging of approximately 300 own-brand products sold through Kesko's grocery stores being renewed between 2020 and 2024.
This change has resulted in a reduction of 603 tonnes of plastic, equivalent to the plastic of 29 million recycled Pirkka bags.
The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (2025/40) sets forth ambitious goals to reduce packaging waste and improve recyclability across the EU.
