Aldi and dairy cooperative Arla have partnered with recycling platform Polytag to track milk bottle packaging through the recycling process using UV-tagging technology.

This move aims to create a better understanding of the product lifecycle, which will improve packaging traceability.

The new partnership builds on their 2023 collaborations, and this work is a further development in packaging traceability with UV-tagged labels applied to Arla’s milk bottle range at its Oakthrope site.

The labels will allow real-time tracking of packaging as it moves through the recycling stream to provide visibility into the rates and journey of dairy packaging.

As part of the programme, there will be an eight-week trial which uses specially developed ink on wrap-around labels to provide packaging lifecycle data and insights.

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After the tagged packaging enters the recycling stream, Polytag’s plastic detection units, which were installed at Materials Recovery Facilities, will receive barcode-level data in real-time, which will be available through Polytag’s dashboard.

Luke Emery, plastics and packaging director, Aldi UK, said: “This next phase with Polytag represents an exciting step forward in how we use data to drive our sustainability strategy.

“By integrating this advanced traceability technology into our packaging, we can gain deeper insights into the lifecycle of our materials.”

Helena Delgado Nordmann, head of sustainability at Arla Foods UK, added: “By working with Polytag, we hope to gain valuable insight into how milk bottle packaging moves through the recycling system, helping us to make more informed decisions about future packaging developments and supporting our ongoing efforts to improve packaging circularity.”