Elopak cuts carton emissions with low-carbon aluminium

Global packaging giant Elopak has transitioned to low-carbon aluminium across its European liquid packaging carton production line.

Sourced exclusively from smelters utilising renewable electricity, the material is now integrated into standard ambient cartons manufactured at the company’s facilities in the Netherlands, Denmark, and Ukraine.

The move marks a major step in decarbonising shelf-stable liquid packaging, directly targeting the high carbon intensity historically associated with primary aluminium smelting.

Why Elopak is making the switch

The primary driver behind the launch is the need to lower the climate impact of raw materials without sacrificing product safety. In ambient (shelf-stable) liquid packaging, a microscopic layer of aluminium is vital. It serves as a definitive barrier against oxygen and light, ensures aseptic sealing, and extends product shelf life without the use of artificial preservatives.

By sourcing aluminium produced via renewable energy rather than conventional fossil fuels, Elopak can mitigate the environmental toll of this crucial component. The company also works exclusively with members of the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) to verify responsible sourcing standards.

Emilie Olderskog, global head of sustainability at Elopak, emphasises the balance between performance and planet: “By sourcing aluminium produced with renewable electricity, we are taking another concrete step in reducing the climate impact of our packaging materials. The introduction of low-carbon aluminium delivers an immediate and measurable reduction in the footprint of our standard ambient cartons, while allowing us to retain the functional properties that are critical for food protection and shelf life.”

For beverage brands and liquid food processors, packaging choices are increasingly dictated by incoming environmental legislation and internal net-zero mandates. Elopak’s material shift introduces several immediate advantages for manufacturers:

• Immediate Scope 3 reduction: manufacturers utilising standard aseptic Pure-Pak cartons will see an immediate 8% reduction in their packaging carbon footprint. Cradle-to-gate calculations show greenhouse gas emissions drop from 53g to 49g of CO₂e per carton.
• Regulatory compliance & PPWR alignment: the transition complements Elopak’s recent introduction of recycled polymers, positioning food and beverage brands to comply with the upcoming European Union Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) benchmarks.
• Strengthened edge over plastic: multiple life-cycle assessments confirm that liquid packaging cartons frequently maintain a lower carbon footprint than plastic alternatives. Lowering the baseline footprint of the aluminium layer widens this environmental advantage.

For manufacturers aiming to eliminate aluminium entirely, Elopak continues to offer its Pure-Pak eSense format—an aluminium-free aseptic carton optimised for specific ambient distributions and simplified recycling processes.

The rollout gives food and drink brands an effortless, drop-in victory for their sustainability metrics. They can report lower product carbon footprints to retailers and consumers without altering their filling lines, changing their graphics, or risking product shelf life.