Intermarché, one of the most popular retail chains in France, demonstrates its relentless commitment to sustainability as it becomes the first in the country to use tethered SIG SwiftCap Linked closures on SIG’s carton packs. This pivotal move covers their entire private label juice portfolio of around 20 SKUs.

The fruit juice for the Paquito own brand distributed in Intermarché outlets is produced by Agromousquetaires, the agro-industrial entity of the Les Mousquetaires group.

Intermarché will also switch to a packaging material from the SIG Terra portfolio, which helps to reduce the use of fossil plastics. The SIG Terra portfolio is a set of more sustainable packaging solutions offering different structural options: without aluminum layer, with renewable materials from the forest, and/or recycled materials.

The polymers in SIG Terra packaging material support the transition to renewable polymers from the forest using a certified mass balance approach. SIG uses tall oil as a forest-based raw material for the production of the polymers. This is a by-product of the paper industry, thus avoiding the use of raw materials from agricultural crops. The polymers are certified according to the certification scheme ISCC PLUS. The ultra-thin aluminum foil used in the packaging material protects the contents from light and oxygen and is certified against ASI (Aluminium Stewardship Initiative) standards.

Intermarché, in its likeminded partnership with SIG, has achieved a first for the French juice market in helping to combat plastic waste leaking into the environment. The move to tethered caps comes well ahead of the EU’s Single-Use Plastics Directive deadline of July 2024 and will also be welcomed by both consumers and regulators. The tethered caps can be easily disposed of and recycled with the rest of the carton pack.

SIG’s tethered caps do not compromise on convenience for consumers, offering an easy pouring and drinking from the pack experience, via a robust double hinge solution. They are also compatible with existing SIG filling machines and closure applicators. This means no major investment is required, demonstrating the flexibility and adaptability needed to reassure customers that SIG’s packaging and filling solutions are a secure investment for the future.

The decision to launch Paquito and MERCI! brand juices with both innovations from SIG, fits perfectly with the company’s priority on responsible action. Intermarché’s socially responsible brand called Les Éleveurs vous disent MERCI! (The Farmers say Thank You!) is all about giving back. Its products offer consumers the opportunity to support farmers with better remuneration. MERCI! is also vehemently committed to the environment, society and animal welfare. MERCI! juices will come in SIG PremiumBloc 1,000 ml carton packs and Paquito in 750 ml and 1,000 ml.

SIG’s fully recyclable and renewable paper straw solution for aseptic carton packs is being launched for the first time in Europe by Intermarché, one of the most popular retail chains in France.

Intermarché is the first company in France to launch paper straws with aseptic carton packs. By offering this solution across its three brands – Paquito, Look and top Budget – it will save 10 tonnes of virgin plastic per year.

The company will be offering the juices and beverages of these brands in combiblocMini packs with SIG’s 6 mm straight paper straw solution – one of several options available in SIG’s paper straw portfolio. The cartons are filled at Antartic, a production unit belonging to Agromousquetaires, a food-processing subsidiary of Groupement Les Mousquetaires.

SIG was the first in the industry to offer a market-ready paper straw solution for aseptic carton packs, enabling customers to meet the urgent need for alternatives to plastic drinking straws – which will be banned across Europe from the beginning of 2021 in line with the Single-Use Plastics Directive.

SIG’s paper straws offer a more sustainable solution that is renewable and fully recyclable. They are an ideal companion for SIG’s fully recyclable carton packs, which are mainly made of renewable paper board.

The paper used to make SIG’s paper straws originates from FSC^TM-certified forests and other controlled sources. The blister for the straw has also been redesigned to help prevent litter by remaining attached to the pack to be recycled together.

SIG offers both straight and U-shaped paper straws. Paper straws are available for use with SIG’s combiblocSmall or combiblocMini packs to maintain the convenience of small-size formats for consumers looking for on-the-go beverages.

The innovative structure and diagonal cut make the straw robust enough to pierce the closed straw hole of the carton. Positive results in consumer tests showed no compromises in convenience compared with conventional plastic straws. Customers can use existing straw applicators to attach them to packs.