Klöckner Pentaplast (Kp) has collaborated with Tesco and Hilton Foods to begin a UK-first pilot project that adopts the use of 100% recycled PET (rPET) food trays developed from tray material collected at the end.
The pilot will form part of Kp's Tray2Tray project. In this pilot, Finest minced beef from Tesco will be packaged in the 100% rPET Kp Tray2Tray and then sealed with Kp FlexiLid, a high-performance barrier film with 30% PCR content.
Rebecca Harris, Kp's global account director, said: "This is a pilot, but it is definitely a giant leap forward for the packaging circular economy. We started our Kp Tray2Tray initiative mainly because precious food-safe tray material enters the recycling stream, yet far too frequently the rPET material is sent down the road for other product applications. It is only once something shifts and demand is increased that the collection, sorting, and recycling at scale will be done. So what we are doing here has true meaningfulness to it."
She continued: "The pilot is an ideal match. Kp is an innovative designer of food packaging solutions driven by our ambitious Investing in Better sustainability strategy; Hilton Foods, with its Sustainable Protein Plan, creates and produces high-quality packaged food; and Tesco has incorporated sustainability into its purpose, strategy, and business plans."
"Kp created a splash when we launched our first trays using 100% Kp Tray2Tray rPET from trays in the UK, and this real-world trial is just the right chance to demonstrate what our experienced technical team has accomplished."
Only 5% of the one million tonnes of PET trays produced every year in the EU is recycled into food-grade trays. Kp's Tray2Tray initiative creates a dedicated supply stream of recycled PET from trays, ensuring material reuse is done efficiently.
Andrea Jex, procurement director at Hilton Foods, said: "This win is a testament to the strength of our collaboration with our customers and suppliers in bringing market-leading innovation to the shelves. Through these strong, long-standing partnerships, we continue to be committed to developing leading-edge solutions that meet the objectives of our Sustainable Protein Plan and our customers' aspirations, while maintaining the highest standards of quality and product shelf life for their consumers.
CMI Research: Key Pet Containers Industry Insights
According to the assessment of Coherent Market Insights, the size of the pet containers industry will rise at an estimated 5.3% CAGR between the years 2025 and 2032 due to the increasing demand for packaged food and beverages. The size of this industry was more than US$ 86.83 Bn during the year 2025. And the size is expected to rise around US$ 124.72 Bn during the end year 2032.
Analyst Opinion: Strategic Role in Pet Containers Industry Growth
According to a research consultant, Pankaj Poddar, PET has some attributes like lightness and shatter resistance that edge it ahead of traditional packaging materials like glass and metal.
Conclusion: Business Takeaways
Tesco, Hilton Foods, and KP's pilot initiative in the pet container industry shows a great commitment to sustainability. They reduce plastic waste and encourage eco-friendly packaging by using recycled PET food trays. This effort shows the increasing trend of circular economy practices in the food packaging sector.
