The development of new sauce packaging from Hellmann's solves several problems in one fell swoop while also allowing customers to save money in the long run.
As Packaging Strategies detailed, the condiment king has created a new type of squeeze bottle for its plant-based mayo that allows the product to come out more easily, meaning sandwich- and salad-makers can get to every last drop.
Thanks to a new edible vegan liner, there'll be less of a need to break open the bottle and scoop out the last sauce remnants with a knife or spoon.
This innovation also means less sauce will get wasted. According to Feeding America, 92 billion pounds of food is needlessly thrown out every year. That's around $473 billion worth, accounting for around 38% of all food in the United States.
While that last drop of mayonnaise might not seem like much, it can add up. If customers can get more out of the bottle, they won't need to return to the store to buy another quite as often, helping to save money on the weekly grocery bill.
Social media influencers have been demonstrating creative solutions to get the most out of leftover sauces and spreads in jars or bottles, whether it's peanut butter, mustard, or jam. However, these tasty hacks won't be so necessary thanks to the Hellmann's innovation.
What's more, getting more sauce out of the bottle helps with recycling efforts, as Krassimir Velikov, senior science and program leader, science and technology, noted.
"By keeping leftover mayo to a minimum, the technology helps keep our bottles in the recycling process," Velikov said in a Q&A. "If they exceed the maximum weight threshold needed, they will be rejected for recycling. By helping consumers to leave less mayo in the bottles, we in effect help them recycle more successfully."
Velikov also said: "Improving consumer experience and satisfaction is vital."
The new bottles will be rolled out in stores in the United Kingdom and Ireland sometime in 2024, and the rest of Europe will benefit soon after. There is no news on whether U.S. stores will welcome them just yet.
But this could herald a new era for similar condiment packaging, helping to reduce waste across the food sector and making the production of "virgin" plastic less essential.
The Association of Plastic Recyclers said 5 billion pounds of plastic was recovered in 2022 in the U.S., with over 50% being plastic bottles. If fewer items are rejected from recycling processes, this figure could increase in the coming years.
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