1. Can you tell us about your position and the activities of ADRIA in a few words?

ADRIA (Association for the Development, Research and Innovation in the Food) is an agri-food technical centre located in Brittany, in Quimper.

Our multidisciplinary and complementary teams include 70 employees: doctors, engineers, project managers, training consultants, research managers and technicians who provide their expertise to manufacturers via 3 areas of expertise:

– Food & Pack Solutions: R&D support for food manufacturers at all stages of design (from formulation to industrial transfer), and from ingredient to finished packaged product.

– Food Quality and Safety: predictive microbiology, validation of alternative methods and bacterial typing.

– Training, Audit and Consultancy: on all aspects related to product manufacturing: quality / hygiene / regulation, process / production / development / innovation – nutrition / sensory evaluation, and packaging.

I am the Packaging Activity Manager within the Food & Pack Solutions division.

I assist our customers and members with all their packaging-related questions: choice of suitable materials for product preservation, suitability for food contact and eco-design approach.

2. What are ADRIA’s priorities for a circular economy for packaging towards its members?

The news around this theme is growing, particularly with AGEC and Climate laws, “anti-plastic” and clean label policies, and new modes of consumption (bulk, reuse…).

These approaches have repercussions on both the choice of packaging and the formulation of the product, and it is difficult for food manufacturers to know what actions to take and how to prioritise them.

But… why talk about ‘product’ in a issue about the circular economy of packaging?

Because the product and the packaging are interdependent, and any change to one impacts the other.

For example, if you change the composition of a plastic material to make it recyclable, you affect its barrier properties and therefore the shelf life of the product.

Conversely, the reformulation of a product in a clean label approach must question the need to modify the packaging to ensure the same product shelf-life.

Thus, with its dual “content-container” expertise, Adria guides manufacturers in their transition process by taking into account the product/packaging pairing, in order to define the most suitable solution for the specific needs of each company.

On the specific subject of packaging, we do not favour a single course of action, but accompany our clients and members:

– In understanding the challenges of these approaches.

– In defining their “right packaging”, by working on the “3Rs” axes best suited to their products, their business strategy,

and market and regulatory expectations.

– Based on factual and pragmatic elements.

3. At the end of 2021, ADRIA joined the CNE as a member of its 9th college (other companies and other associations): could you explain why ADRIA supports the CNE and its actions for the benefit of Fair Packaging?

First of all, because the CNE and its publications are a reference in the field of packaging, which we can rely on to respond to our members and customers.

These publications shed light on and position current issues in a factual manner and are supported by the expertise and cross-sectional vision of multiple packaging players.

Also, the fact of being able to participate in working groups and other events organised by the CNE will enable us to exchange and network with various packaging stakeholders, once again to provide the best possible support to our customers and members.

4. The CNE is listening to its members, what are the themes that the CNE should document for its future working groups or its CNE PACK FOCUS mornings?

There is an effervescence in the “anti-plastic” or in connection with the circular economy commitments (reuse, incorporation of recycled materials, etc.), with unfortunately too often:

– a lack of knowledge, or even a misuse of the terms used

– a lack of vision on the relevance of existing solutions

– a lack of supervision, or even drifts in practices (for example, “food safety” risks: on the suitability for contact in the case of using recycled products, on hygiene in the case of reuse, etc.)

There is already an “environmental claims” committee at the CNE, but why not go further by providing an expert point of view and good practices on these subjects.