SIG has collaborated with French food and beverage manufacturer LSDH to introduce aluminium-free aseptic cartons into commercial filling operations in France, with the first products expected on shelf by the end of 2026.
The companies will utilize SIG’s Terra Alu-free and Full Barrier packaging at LSDH subsidiary JFA in Alsace. JFA undertakes aseptic filling, and LSDH says the carton can be introduced with only minor changes to existing filling operations.
SIG’s solution aims to replace the foil traditionally used in aseptic beverage cartons with an ‘ultra-thin’ polymer-based barrier, capable of protecting oxygen-sensitive beverages such as fruit juices and plant-based drinks and creams. According to the company, it has a shelf life of 12 months for suitable products and validated filling arrangements.
SIG has marketed its full-barrier material as compatible with existing SIG filling equipment, but the company cautions that its general performance specifications should not be mistaken for confirmed operating measurements at JFA. The partners have not reported a completed production trial with independently measured waste, downtime or efficiency figures for the French launch.
SIG and LSDH cite a France-specific life cycle assessment which indicates a carbon footprint reduction of up to 19% relative to the standard aseptic carton used for comparison. SIG separately cites reductions of up to 61% when the aluminium-free structure is combined with forest-based polymers under other specified comparisons. It is noted that these figures involve different material combinations and assessment boundaries, and should not be substituted for the 19% figure associated with the French introduction.
The carton’s practical compatibility with production schedules and product specifications is important as LSDH supplies filling services to beverage producers and retailers. A new carton option must be qualified for the customer’s formulation and intended distribution conditions. The companies state that this announcement does not identify all the brands that will adopt it or the initial number of units to be manufactured.
Earlier this month, SIG expanded its SIG Neo portfolio with new filling machines for aseptic cartons, seeking to offer high output and flexible production without requiring a costly facility expansion. Reportedly, the new machines can handle up to nine single-serve pack sizes on one machine and fill 32,000 SIG XSlimBloc single-serve cartons per hour.
Back in April, Tetra Pak and Italian dairy company Sterilgarda Alimenti partnered on the ‘first ever’ 1 litre package featuring a paper-based barrier, said to increase the renewable content to 90% when combined with plant-based polymers. The carton is said to support shelf life comparable to traditional aseptic packaging with an aluminium foil barrier while reducing the carbon footprint by up to 50%, as verified by the Carbon Trust.
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