Sonoco Consumer Products Europehas announced that it, in partnership with Kellanova, has received the Gold Award for snacks and confectionery at the Environmental Packaging Awards, hosted by Packaging News. The annual event, which took place in London earlier this week, celebrates the industry’s most innovative and sustainable packaging.

The winning entry, developed in collaboration with Kellanova, is the groundbreaking paper-based Pringles tube, which now features a paper fibre-based bottom instead of the traditional metal end. This innovative design not only retains Pringles’ iconic cylindrical shape, but also enhances its recyclability and sustainability. 

Sonoco and Kellanova win Gold Award for Snacks and Confectionery

The tube enables the crisps to remain stacked, while protecting them and preserving their flavour, helping to keep them as fresh as the day they were made. Consumers can also reclose the tubes with the recyclable plastic lid to ensure the chips stay fresh after opening. The new tube is widely accepted in paper recycling streams across Europe, making it a significant step forward in sustainable packaging solutions.

In addition, the new paper-based Pringles tube takes into account “Circularity by Design” guidelines from the European fibre-based packaging value chain, the 4Evergreen alliance, and obtains a good recyclability score for its suitability for recycling in standard paper mills under 4evergreen’s Recyclability Evaluation Protocol.

Seàn Cairns, president – Global Rigid Paper and Closures (RPC) at Sonoco, says, “Winning the Innovation of the Year Award is a testament to our commitment to developing eco-friendly packaging solutions. Our partnership with Kellanova has enabled us to create a packaging solution that maintains the beloved Pringles experience while significantly improving its environment impact. We are incredibly proud of this accomplishment and thrilled to be recognised with this award.”

Waqas Qureshi, chief editor of Packaging News, says, “This is a great achievement for both Sonoco and Kellanova. Sonoco’s innovative approach to sustainable packaging exemplifies the forward-thinking and environmentally conscious solutions that our awards aim to recognise. The new Pringles tube is a remarkable achievement that sets a new benchmark in the industry.”

Sonoco and Kellanova’s win at the Environmental Packaging Awards follows on from the winning the Sustainable Innovation Award at the CPI Paper Industry Gold Awards last month, highlighting their consistent excellence and leadership in sustainable packaging innovation.