Food quality, product safety and transportation of food require functional packaging. The best packaging solutions ensure the preservation of food, are easy to use and recyclable, and use only as much packaging material as necessary. We are committed to reducing food waste and improving the recyclability of product packaging in our product development. In addition, our production process generates by‑products suitable for animal feed and for use in a number of other industries, such as raw materials for biofuels and fertilisers.
The primary purpose of packaging is to protect food products. Good packaging is an essential part of ensuring quality and product safety. Functional packaging also helps reduce food waste. In our packaging development, we take multiple perspectives into account. In addition to our key goals -recyclability, reducing plastic, and lowering the carbon footprint - our choices are influenced by factors such as food shelf life, the functionality and attractiveness of the packaging, the renewability of materials, as well as packaging and recycling costs.
The share of packaging in the carbon footprint of our products is very small. If even a couple of slices are left uneaten in a ham package, the negative environmental impact caused by the waste is significantly greater than the carbon footprint of the packaging itself. Reducing food waste is the most effective way to reduce environmental impacts. By monitoring customer compensations resulting from quality defects, we can improve our production and help reduce food waste.
THE SHARE OF PACKAGING IN THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF OUR PRODUCTS IS SMALL. THAT IS WHY REDUCING FOOD WASTE IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS.
We aim to reduce food waste as well as mixed and energy waste also in our own operations. We have improved material efficiency by minimising production losses and increasing the recyclability of packaging materials. In 2024, 64% of our packaging was recyclable and 31% was made of renewable or recycled materials. We continue to work on improving the recyclability of product packaging. Our goal is that by the end of 2028, 80% of the materials used in sales packaging will be technically recyclable. Together with packaging material suppliers, we test and develop new technically recyclable materials across all our product categories.
Our production process generates by‑products suitable for human consumption, animal feed, and use in various other industries. The side streams created in our production processes are primarily used as raw materials or energy within the value chain of our circular‑economy partners. In addition, Honkajoki Oy, partly owned by HKFoods, processes animal‑based by‑products generated in meat production into raw materials for use in several industries, such as pet food, fertilisers and biofuels. Together with our circular‑economy partners, we are seeking new opportunities to utilise circular‑economy solutions more extensively in our business.
Responsibility programme 2026–2028 targets
| Programme target | Indicator | Target year |
| CIRCULAR ECONOMY | ||
| Reducing food waste as well as mixed and energy waste in own operations | Reducing food waste by 20% and mixed and energy waste by 20% (Calculated in tonnes relative to tonnes produced) |
2028 |
| Promoting the recyclability of product packaging gradually, in accordance with the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWR) | 80% of the materials used in sales packaging are technically recyclable | 2028 |
| All sales packaging will include sorting instructions by 1 January 2028* | 2028 | |
| BPA or PFAS compounds are not used in packaging materials after the requirements concerning them enter into force on 12 August 2026* *) In accordance with EU Regulation 2025/40 |
2026 |
Less plastic
HKFoods is committed to the Green Deal agreement aimed at reducing the consumption of single‑use plastic portion packages. In recent years, we have implemented several measures to reduce plastic in our packaging:
- We are committed to improving the recyclability of product packaging in our product development.
- Between 2020 and 2023, we reduced the use of plastic in, for example, our minced‑meat, deli‑meat, sausage and ready‑meal packaging.
- For minced meat, we reduced the amount of plastic in 2020 by replacing part of the trays with pouch packaging. The pouches contained 71% less plastic compared to the tray. In 2022, we lightened our minced‑meat trays and further reduced plastic use by 10%, equal to 7,000 kilograms. In 2023, we reduced plastic by 102,000 kilograms by switching all 200–400‑gram minced‑meat packages to pouch formats.
- In 2024, we tested new recyclable materials for all product groups and replaced the plastic tray used for Via® ready meals with a recyclable tray.
- In 2024, 64% of our packaging was recyclable and 31% was made of renewable or recycled materials. We continue to increase the share of recyclable, renewable and recycled packaging materials.
