SIG has introduced the first aseptic 1-litre carton pack offering full barrier protection without an aluminum layer. The new SIG Terra Alu-free + Full barrier packaging material is now commercially available on retail shelves, marking an expansion from single-serve to multi-serve formats.
The new development enters the juice category for the first time, with German retailer ALDI adopting the carton for its Rio d’oro grape juice in selected regions. According to the company, this move could reduce the carbon footprint of traditional multi-serve cartons by 29%. The packaging is being filled by Italian producer Quargentan using its existing SIG Midi 12 Aseptic machine.
SIG Terra Alu-free + Full barrier provides the same protection and shelf life—up to 12 months—as standard aluminum-layered cartons. The new material is made of more than 80% paper and uses an ultra-thin polymer coating in place of aluminum to guard against oxygen, light, moisture, and aroma loss. It also enables compatibility with existing SIG filling lines, operating at speeds up to 15,000 packs per hour for multi-serve formats and 24,000 packs per hour for smaller sizes.
The packaging is globally available and requires only minor modifications to current equipment. José Matthijsse, President & General Manager Europe at SIG, stated, “On the way [to increasing paper content in cartons to 90% by 2030], we have developed this packaging structure that is made of more than 80% paper and reduces the number of raw materials from three to two.”
The innovation builds on SIG’s previous efforts since 2010 to reduce reliance on aluminum in aseptic packaging, with over 4 billion aluminum-free packs sold to date.