A recent LCA study, commissioned by Elopak, has found that its D-PAK refill cartons have a lower environmental impact than standard LDPE plastic pouches used for laundry detergent in the EU.
Last month, Elopak introduced its new line of D-PAK cartons that combine post-consumer recycled polyethylene with bio-circular polymers, with availability across the Australia and New Zealand regions.
The independent Life Cycle Assessment on the refill cartons, carried out by Anthesis, showed that the cartons have a 24 per cent lower global warming impact than 1-litre pouches. That figure rises to 28 per cent for 1.8-litre formats even when the pouches are made with recycled material.
The study shows the cartons also use far less plastic, at just 9.0g per pack, compared to 20.1g for pouches and 76.7g for a typical polypropylene bottle. In terms of resource scarcity, D-PAK cartons were shown to perform 33 per cent better than 1-litre pouches, and 38 per cent better for larger sizes.
Elopak’s senior director for sustainability, Emilie Olderskog, said, “These findings show that Elopak cartons are a significantly more sustainable packaging solution for laundry detergent than common refill alternatives like pouches.”
She added, “By choosing fibre-based cartons, home and personal care brands can offer shoppers similar sustainability advantages as Elopak customers in the food and drink sector. This gives consumers a more environmentally responsible option right across the supermarket aisles.”
Previous studies have shown cartons also perform well against plastic bottles for products such as milk and juice. A 2020 meta-analysis commissioned by the Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment found beverage cartons had an average carbon footprint of 83g CO2 per litre, compared to 156g for PET bottles.
Since relaunching the D-PAK carton in 2021, Elopak has supported brands including Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Omo and Paperdent with fiber-based packaging for home and personal care products such as laundry detergent, fabric softener, mouthwash and wiper fluid.
Research published by Elopak in 2024 found that consumers in the UK and Germany were open to purchasing household refills in cartons, with 64 per cent willing to buy fabric softener, 61 per cent detergent, and 59 per cent floor cleaner in this format.
Elopak’s strategy, ‘Repackaging tomorrow’, launched in September 2024, focuses on expanding fiber-based packaging to new markets and product categories as brands and consumers seek to reduce plastic use.
