The separable top consists of two parts – a carton sleeve and an injection-moulded plastic top (which can both be recycled separately), and is available to customers at no additional cost.
Consumers can separate the plastic top from the sleeve by pressing their thumb against a pre-cut perforation on the outer cardboard layer.
Tetra Pak describes Tetra Top – designed for still chilled and ambient products – as a package that combines the “convenience” of a bottle with the “contemporary looks and feel” of a carton package.
Can consumers be bothered?
Tetra Pak insists this is not simply a relaunch of a separable top for its high-end Tetra Evero Aseptic cartons for ambient white milk (first unveiled in April 2012 at Anuga Food Tec and pictured left) although it looks essentially the same.
We asked Tetra Pak whether consumers could really be bothered to separate the carton for recycling purposes – especially given the risk of mess with a product such as drinking yogurt?
Moreover, wasn’t there a risk of consumer confusion if they used existing Tetra Pak recycling facilities without separating the carton into two parts?
A Tetra Pak spokeswoman told BeverageDaily.com: “As for consumer concerns/commitment to recycling. Of course it will be received in different ways depending on the local recycling culture and infrastructure.”
“Scandinavia is for sure particularly advanced in this. But as I said, we are launching it on the global level,” she added.
Tetra Top wows Swedes
Charles Brand, VP marketing and product management at Tetra Pak, said the innovation was a response to consumer demand for packaging that facilitates recycling.
Ann Bergman, senior manager marketing & brand yoghurt and fermented at Arla Foods Sweden, said that over 80% of consumers liked being able to separate the top.
77% said they would recycle more, according to the statistics gathered by Homestudy Norm Research and Consulting in 2012.
“We now have over 35 product variants in the Yoggi and Arla range with Tetra Top with Separable Top on the Swedish market. For us it was a great benefit to be able to launch without adding cost”.