"A key component of BillerudKorsnäs’ development work on smarter packaging solutions involves a focus on improved food transport. Consequently, it is a natural step for us to be part of Save Food", says Henrik Essén, Senior Vice President, Communication and Sustainability.

Save Food – a UN supported global initiative on food loss and waste – was launched in 2011 and aims to reduce the amount of food lost or thrown away. An estimated 1.3 billion t of food is wasted each year, corresponding to 3.3 gigatonnes of CO2 emissions. This can be compared with emissions from all road traffic in the US in 2010, which amounted to 1.5 gigatonnes.

"Fruit and vegetables account for the greatest losses in the food industry, not only in absolute figures when it comes to the number of tonnes destroyed but also with respect to the costs incurred for waste and from an environmental perspective. The carbon footprint from organic products that are transported long distances but never consumed is very large", says Lars Broström, Commercial Director at Paccess, a subsidiary of BillerudKorsnäs. About a quarter of this waste is attributable, unfortunately, to inadequate packaging.

With strong, primary-fibre based packaging material and high-performance solutions, BillerudKorsnäs intends to contribute to less waste. For example, BillerudKorsnäs has developed the SoliQ corrugated box to withstand the difficult conditions associated with intercontinental transport of grapes and citrus fruits from South Africa to Europe.