When Lavazza and cup manufacturer Benders, developed a paper coffee cup containing less than 5% plastic single-lining, they needed to understand how the packaging would perform in real-world recycling systems. Through a bespoke testing and consultancy programme delivered by DS Smith Recycling’s Recyclability Evaluation Service (RES), DS Smith helped provide the data and insight needed to evidence the cup's recyclability beyond standard laboratory testing.
DS Smith
The challenge
As recyclability requirements become increasingly important, brands need confidence that packaging innovations will perform effectively within existing recycling infrastructure to avoid paying unnecessarily high extender producer responsibility fees.
DS Smith
Lavazza and Benders had developed a coffee cup with less than 5% PE lining, an important threshold in many recyclability frameworks, but wanted evaluation that went beyond standard CEPI 4evergreen recyclability laboratory testing. They require a way to understand how the cup would behave in real-world recycling conditions and generate robust evidence to support future recyclability assessments.
The solution
RES designed a tailored testing and consultancy package that went beyond standard industry methodologies.
The project combined:
- Bespoke recyclability testing
- Real-world recycling expertise
- Analysis of how the cup would behave within existing reprocessing infrastructure
- Interpretation and breakdown of results through a post-testing consultancy session
Working together, Lavazza, Benders and DS Smith created a collaborative approach that connected packaging innovation with practical recycling knowledge and insights.
The results
- Evidence to support recyclability claims: The project generated real-world evidence that will help Lavazza better understand and demonstrate the recyclability performance of its innovative cup design within existing reprocessing infrastructure.
- Increased confidence in packaging innovation: By combining testing with expert consultation, Lavazza gained a deeper understanding of how the cup performs within current reprocessing systems and what the findings mean in practice and at scale.
- Improved preparedness for future legislation: As the fees associated with for 'difficult to recycle' packaging are set to continually rise, evidencing real-world recyclability of materials is becoming vital for producers such as Lavazza to avoid unnecessarily high fees associated with incoming legislation.
Katy King, Lavazza Sustainability Manager
“It was very valuable to collaborate with the whole value chain together so we could put in context the results of the evaluation (such as how the 30% limit compares to the percentage of paper that is coffee cups). The combined expertise of the team helped us all to assess the big picture of how realistic coffee cup recycling in the UK is and demonstrate a very positive result.”
What’s next?
This project highlights how RES is helping customers move beyond theoretical recyclability assessments by combining testing, consultancy and real-world recycling expertise to drive tangible improvements in the circularity of packaging solutions.
As well as evidencing that their cup is compatible with the reprocessing stage within existing recycling infrastructure, Lavazza is now looking to ensure compatibility with the other stages – collection, sortation and application. Evidencing harmony with the end-to-end recycling processes is vital if they are to prove that these cups are recyclable within post-consumer household recycling streams. This will allow for simpler recycling messaging to householders and more efficient recycling processes.
Public Sector Recycling Solutions | DS Smith - DS Smith
