Kraft Heinz has partnered with Polytag to deploy invisible UV tagging technology on packaging, marking a significant step toward data-driven recycling verification.
The initiative uses Polytag’s EcoTrace system, which embeds invisible UV-readable codes directly onto packaging substrates such as PET bottles. These tags remain undetectable to consumers but are identified at material recovery facilities (MRFs) through UV scanning systems installed along sorting lines.
From a packaging perspective, the solution integrates digital traceability into the pack itself, enabling brands to monitor how packaging performs beyond point of consumption. The system generates real-time data on collection, sorting, and recycling rates, offering a more accurate picture compared to conventional estimations.
For brand owners and converters, this development highlights the growing role of functional printing and smart labeling technologies in supporting circular economy goals. Unlike QR codes or visible markers, UV tags do not interfere with pack design, branding, or regulatory labeling requirements, making them suitable for high-volume FMCG applications.
The partnership positions Kraft Heinz among the early adopters in the food sector to implement packaging-level digital watermarking for recycling traceability. It also underscores increasing regulatory and market pressure on brands to demonstrate measurable recycling outcomes, particularly in the context of extended producer responsibility (EPR) frameworks.
As infrastructure expands across recycling facilities, such technologies could redefine how packaging recyclability is validated, shifting the industry toward evidence-based circularity and system-wide accountability.