Packaging is a very difficult area and one we have agonised over. In pure carbon footprint terms, it could be argued that plastic flexible packaging, which most dry dog food is packaged in, has the lowest carbon footprint.

This may possibly be true if all these plastic bags could be, and were, recycled. The truth is that a very small percentage are recycled. Not because you and I don’t care. but because the infrastructure for collecting the bags from our homes and the recycling capabilities simply do not exist yet. A significant percentage of these bags end up in landfill sometimes after one use but always at the end of their recycling usefulness – bags and plastic cannot be recycled infinitely with even the best case scenario being just 10 recycles.

It is estimated that some 650,000 tonnes of dry dog food were produced in the UK last year. This would require approximately 90,000 plastic bags to package the food. Of these approximately 10% were recycled with the rest ending up in landfill sites, eventually resulting in microplastics as they eventually degrade. This is not only harmful to our immediate environment but also to our waterways and oceans.

For this reason, we have chosen to package Bonza food in FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) paper-based packaging bag with a vegetable-based lining called PLA (polylactic acid) to ensure the freshness of your dog’s food.

PLA is 100% bio-sourced and biodegradable, one of the first renewable polymers to compete with traditional polymers in terms of performance and environmental impact. PLA is made of renewable resources such as potato starch or sugar cane. Because it emits three times less C02 emissions and is already on the market, PLA could very well reconcile plastic with the planet.

Our bags are both industrially and home compostable or recyclable via domestic collection and waste streams, although it must be said that the domestic waste stream infrastructure is not equally available in all regions. Whilst not perfect we consider these to have the lowest overall impact on the environment for dog food now.

We are constantly engaged with science and technology and packaging companies at the leading edge of innovation for the perfect solution – a fully recyclable paper-based bag with a finish that is not just compostable and recyclable using kerbside paper collection but also protects the freshness of your dog’s food.

Technology is making significant advances and the moment it is available we will change our packaging format to this most eco-friendly dog food packaging format.

Our protective outer cartons are manufactured with a mix of recycled and virgin pulp cardboard in its natural, uncoated state and all printing is done using sustainable, and environmentally friendly, vegetable-based inks.

Our paper-based packing tape is also printed with these inks onto an uncoated surface. Both our outer carton and tape are 100% compostable and recyclable in domestic waste streams where available.

This contributes to the overall sustainability of our eco-friendly dog food packaging.

We have designed our packaging bags and outer carton, so they are a perfect fit – there is a no wasted space, and no need for additional packaging material to prevent movement when we pack your dog’s plant-based food into the outer cartons for delivery to your home. This reduces the amount of board and other material required to the bare minimum.

Designing our outer cartons to the perfect size necessary for our bags also means we can fit an optimum number to every pallet for delivery from factory to warehouse, reducing the carbon footprint of our transport for these journeys and your dog’s food.

This also reduces the environmental impact of our food’s journey from warehouse to your home.

We are continually looking at ways of reducing the environmental impact of our packaging – from materials used, bag and carton sizing and recyclability and compostability – and the impact these also have on our transportation footprint. Packaging is unquestionably one of the last areas of significant advance we can make to reduce our environmental impact on the planet and make Bonza the most sustainable dog food on the planet.

We are the first to admit we’ve not yet found the perfect packaging solution, but believe we are using the most eco-friendly dog food packaging solution available at present.

Healthier Dogs. Healthier Planet.