Tetra Pak and García Carrión introduce the world’s first paper-based protective layer for juice packaging and launch new packaging development

World’s first aseptic carton with a paper-based liner in the juice category

Tetra Pak has partnered with Spanish beverage manufacturer García Carrión to launch the Tetra Brik® Aseptic 200 ml Slim Leaf carton under the Don Simón brand, featuring a paper-based liner. This is the first juice dispenser package worldwide to use this innovative layer and the first of its kind in Spain.

The packaging is made of up to 80% paper, reinforcing its sustainability credentials. The combination of a paper-based protective layer and plant-based polymers increases the renewable content to 92% while reducing the carbon footprint by 43% compared to an aseptic package with an aluminum layer and fossil-based polymers, as verified by the Carbon Trust.

“We are proud to be at the forefront of sustainable packaging in the juice category. We have been committed to responsible innovation and respect for the environment for more than 135 years,” said Don José García Carrión, President of García Carrión.

“This innovation supports our mission to reduce our environmental impact while offering our consumers high-quality products,” added Fala Corujo, Vice President of García Carrión.

García Carrión For Tetra Pak, this packaging solution represents a new industrial application of its 360° Sustainability Strategy, which won the Factories of the Future award in the Sustainability and Circular Economy category in 2024.

Tatiana Liceti, Executive Vice President Packaging Solutions at Tetra Pak added: “This launch is a significant step on our journey towards fully renewable and recyclable packaging. Working closely with our customers, we are demonstrating that sustainable innovation can scale across markets and categories, while maintaining the functionality and quality of the packaging.”

What is a paper-based liner?

Tetra Pak’s paper-based liner represents a breakthrough in aseptic carton design. This layer replaces traditional aluminum foil, facilitating the transition from fossil-based materials to a low-carbon, renewable alternative and reducing the carbon footprint of packaging. Together with the other layers of the package, the paper-based protective layer protects the food from oxygen, light, moisture and bacteria, ensuring food safety and a shelf life comparable to traditional aluminum-layer packages.

Aseptic cartons with the new paper-based protective layer can be collected, sorted and recycled where the appropriate infrastructure is available. The technology is expected to improve the efficiency of the recycling process, for example by maximising the recovery of paper content while ensuring high-quality fibrous and non-fibrous fractions.

This development is part of Tetra Pak’s long-term goal to create the world’s most sustainable food packaging – one that is paper-based, made exclusively from responsibly sourced renewable or recycled materials, has the lowest possible carbon footprint and is fully recyclable.

Tetra Pak’s aseptic beverage carton with a paper-based protective layer was first introduced in 2023 in partnership with a Portuguese dairy company. The innovation was recognised as a pioneering solution in sustainable packaging and won the ‘Resource Efficiency’ award at the Sustainable Packaging News Awards 2024.