Riverford is an organic grower of a wide variety of fresh produce, bundled together under different ‘veg boxes’ for consumers to choose from including a free farm-to-door delivery service. Growing, packing, and delivering food, Riverford is committed to using as little packaging as possible. Their ethos is to choose no packaging wherever possible, sending lots of produce loose and reusing their iconic veg boxes up to 10 times. However, some packaging is essential to maintain the high quality and freshness of some varieties of veggies. Moist, leafy veg such as lettuces and spinach will wilt and lose quality quickly when in-contact with air.
Riverford approached TIPA, with a need for a solution that considered both the environmental impact of packaging and the impact of food waste that would occur without it. They decided on TIPA’s home compostable solutions to replace conventional plastic, specifically for certain leafy veg that would otherwise dehydrate without being replaced with a ‘plastic-like’ alternative. After many months of intensive research, Riverford decided on TIPA home compostable solutions.
After disposal, these super sustainable materials disintegrate into pieces smaller than 2mm within six months, and properly biodegrade (breaking down not into microplastics, but into carbon dioxide, water vapor and organic matter, just like a plant decomposing) within a year. They break down like this even in low temperatures, such as your home compost heap.
Riverford is using home-compostable TIPA 302 wicketed bags to protect their fresh veg, ensuring premium quality is maintained, without compromising their commitment to sustainability.
