Use of Recyclate: Gropper Sets Itself Apart with Independent Certification

Molkerei Gropper, founded in 1929 in the Berg district of Donauwörth and based in Bissingen since 1973, is today one of the leading suppliers of private labels in Germany. The traditional company's customers include international retail groups as well as the largest German retailers, including Lidl, Aldi, Rewe and Edeka. Gropper has a broad product portfolio that includes classic dairy products, yoghurts and desserts, as well as coffee milk mixes, chilled juices, smoothies and Rieser Urwasser organic mineral water.

The dairy is also innovative in its environmental approach: it was one of the first food manufacturers to switch to PET bottles with a recycled content of 50 to 100 per cent. The vision is clear: to recycle every bottle and minimise the use of virgin plastic. These sustainability efforts were recognised in 2020 with the German Packaging Award for the development of LD sleeves.

Now the Bavarian company has also had the use of rPET recyclate in its PET bottle range certified by the independent “flustix Recycled – DIN tested” seal. We spoke to Daniel Reichenbach, Head of Packaging Development at Gropper, about the background.

Mr Reichenbach, why did Gropper have its PET bottle range certified by flustix?
There are two reasons: more sustainable management and customer orientation in practice. Our customers can now easily sub-certify their products and label the recycled content on the packaging – independently verified. This minimises the effort for our customers, who in turn can offer even more transparency to end consumers with more sustainable packaging.

In general, our claim is: don't talk, do. That is why we are also working on other innovations, less material use, high recyclability and the best possible lifecycle.

What were the challenges of switching to rPET bottles and how did Gropper overcome them?
Getting enough recyclate at an economical price is also the biggest challenge for us. The market is very volatile. However, so far we have been able to react well to every fluctuation in the market. We also had to find a technical solution for processing this material on the filling lines. And visual impairment is an issue with recyclates: what does the end product look like and how do consumers perceive it? We have found a good solution here too.

How do you communicate the added value of rPET certification to your customers and consumers?
As one of the leading private label suppliers, we regularly present innovative ideas to our customers - and we will do the same here. At a time when consumers are increasingly sceptical about self-declarations, our customers now have the opportunity to communicate a credible sustainability claim to consumers quickly and easily through sub-licensing. We believe this will convince many.

Do you see the certification as a step that could influence other companies in the industry?
The EU Green Claims Directive challenges everyone to have their sustainability performance independently verified. We are already preparing for this. At the same time, we see certification as just one building block in a wide range of sustainability measures – whether in the area of animal welfare, packaging, organic farming or climate protection. 

Are there any further steps that Gropper is planning in the direction of sustainability and more environmentally friendly packaging?
We are always looking for new solutions for our packaging. We want more recycled material, less virgin plastic and packaging that is optimally recyclable in order to get closer and closer to the best possible cycle. Take mineral water, for example: we bottle our own water, Rieser Urwasser, in bottles made of 100 per cent rPET. We are also in the process of changing our paper labels and will soon be using an exciting mix of recycled and grass paper. We have also made a conscious decision to use corrugated board instead of shrink wrap for our outer packaging. In terms of sustainability more broadly, we are investing heavily in energy efficiency and renewable energy and have joined the Science Based Targets initiative, pursuing measurable and achievable targets to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris Climate Agreement.

Thank you for the interview, Mr. Reichenbach.