Dow, Zermatt, and Nature’s Variety have introduced a new recyclable pet food pouch incorporating food-contact compliant recycled plastic from advanced recycling. Now available in Spain, France, and Portugal, the solution addresses growing regulatory and consumer demand for circular packaging in the pet food sector.
The pouch includes 10% recycled content using a certified mass balance approach and is designed to align with upcoming European Committee for Standardization (CEN) guidelines on recyclability. It is also intended to help meet the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) 2030 target for contact-sensitive packaging.
The collaboration combines Dow’s materials science capabilities, Zermatt’s expertise in packaging development, and Nature’s Variety’s focus on high-quality pet food. According to Antonio Barrasus, commercial director at Zermatt, “This achievement highlights the importance of strong value chain collaboration. With our combined innovation, together we are delivering a solution that proactively meets legislative requirements and advances sustainability in the pet food packaging segment.”
The packaging replaces a previous multi-material (PET/PE) structure with a mono-material polyethylene film, contributing to improved recyclability. It also integrates recycled content certified by ISCC Plus, which allows for its use in contact-sensitive applications, such as pet food.
Nature’s Variety has committed to increasing recycled content to 30% by 2030. Ilaria Bianchi, international marketing manager at Nature’s Variety, stated, “This new packaging designed for recyclability and including recycled plastic content, thus reducing the use of virgin plastic, marks one big step in this direction.”
The pouch will be showcased at K 2025 in Düsseldorf, Germany, from 8–15 October, at Dow’s exhibit in building 04.1, outside Hall 4.