Global consumer demand is strongly influenced by megatrends — the growing middle class, climate change and resource scarcity. In 2020, an estimated two billion Asians were categorised as part of the middle class, which is set to increase to 3.5 billion by 2030. With higher living standards and ageing populations, people are consuming more. At the same time, addressing the challenges posed by climate change and resource scarcity is essential. Climate change has become an independent driver of changes in natural systems, exacerbating other drivers. As for resource scarcity, in recent decades, we have seen the twin pressures of growing populations and economies both escalating demand for energy, food and material goods, and the resources to produce them. The need for solutions that improve efficiency and provide alternatives to scarce resources has never been greater.  

These trends combined drive consumers towards more sustainable choices, and the demand for sustainable products will only continue to grow. Consumers are already becoming more concerned with brands' sustainability efforts, particularly when it comes to packaging waste: 77% of customers are concerned about the environmental impact of their purchases, and 64% are willing to pay more for sustainable products. [1] 

Customers are also willing to pay more for goods that are packed sustainably. Therefore, there is an increasing demand among brand owners to set ambitious climate and circularity targets and develop more sustainable packaging solutions. As an integral part of the packaging, labels are everywhere and on everything we consume. They have the potential to act as change agents by making the right label choices, and we can improve the sustainability of the packaging, informing about the sustainability of the product and promoting it without compromising on the packaging performance.

With limited natural resources, we all need to be innovative in using materials. At UPM Raflatac, we are committed to labelling a smarter future beyond fossils. With our future-proof packaging solutions, the company is helping the packaging industry and brand owners to switch to more sustainable alternatives while maintaining a competitive edge. One of the offerings which reduce environmental impact is the lite film labelling solutions, which offers an easy and impactful way for brands to get closer to their sustainability targets by reducing use and optimising the use of resources.

The thin film solutions provide several key sustainability, productivity and cost-efficiency benefits without compromising performance. They reduce carbon footprint with resource-optimised design — thinner film facestocks and liners across the entire range to ensure performance and environmental benefits compared to the standard thicker versions because they require fewer fossil-based raw materials and less energy during manufacturing. Thin film solutions also improve productivity by offering shorter lead times with fewer reel changes and less downtime to help stay on target; besides, they increase cost-efficiency by freeing more storage capacity for other raw materials and finished stock and lower packaging and transportation costs thanks to longer converted label reels. On top of that, UPM Raflatac's lite food labelling solution also meets food safety standards.

This ground breaking innovation has already found multiple applications in various products. One example is PE 65 — the thinnest squeezable film in the existing range of UPM Raflatac PE film label materials. These thinner versions of the standard PE 85 film constructions offer the same excellent conformability, squeezability and resistance to water, oils and chemicals, making them the perfect alternative for squeezable containers and tubes in the home and personal care labelling segments. 

Another thin film product is Raflex Pro, which offers the best performance properties of PE and PP for squeezable functionality and maximum shelf appeal. It has the same conformability as PE on contoured and squeezable containers and the high clarity of PP. Raflex Pro is also exceptionally thin. It can increase productivity by having more labels per roll which mean less downtime on roll change and more time on profitable label conversion and dispensing. It also lightens the environmental load. 

The PE Lite range is an excellent example of sustainable product design, providing brand owners with an immediate answer to increasing customer demand for more sustainable materials. PE Lite is thinner and lighter than traditional PE film. By choosing from the PE Lite range, brand owners can become leaders in sustainable product labelling, differentiating themselves from the competition and boosting productivity across the value chain. Combined with RP37 adhesive and the FSCTM-certified (FSC-C012530) backing paper, this dependable laminate offers sustainable and reliable performance for food, home, and personal care applications. UPM Raflatac PE Lite can help you achieve business goals – while also answering the growing market demand to reduce. 

Another example is UPM Raflatac PP Food, which enables an easy transition to safe and sustainable labelling. Food grade top coat contributes to a solution that meets food safety standards, providing reliable high performance across various applications, reducing inventory requirements and making printers' production processes more efficient.

There are other effective thin film solutions for food products, for instance, Polyprint lite combined with RH9S adhesive. The Polyprint lite face can offer a glossy look and stable performance in UV inkjet printing, retaining functionality, dimensional stability, and visual appeal. With its excellent durability and resistance against humidity, water, grease or oil, this multi-purpose label is ideal for food packaging.

Switching from one material to the other, especially thicker to thinner, can be challenging for converters and brand owners. But UPM Raflatac's comprehensive thin film solutions can offer reliable performance in various applications, increasing sustainability while maintaining a high-quality brand image. UPM Raflatac can provide sustainable packaging solutions that reduce environmental impact and enhance product efficiency by making every stage of a product's life cycle more sustainable.

UPM Raflatac invites converters, brand owners, raw material suppliers, and other key influencers to join forces and turn the innovations into leading solutions and competitive advantages. Ambitious sustainability targets can only be met through joint efforts, and industry-wide partnerships of committed changemakers are how the world can move to a future beyond fossils.

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