The sustainable packaging conversation has entered a decisive new phase. Across retail and foodservice, the dominant narrative is plastic avoidance.
This shift is rooted in a growing disillusionment with flexible plastic recycling. Collection systems remain inconsistent. Multi-material laminates are difficult to separate. Contamination rates are high. The economic value of recovered material is low. For many brands, the promise of circular flexible packaging has not translated into real-world outcomes at scale.
As a result, we are seeing two clear directional trends: paperisation and compostable solutions. From supermarket shelves to takeaway counters, fibre-based and certified compostable materials are rapidly displacing conventional plastics.
Flexible packaging is one of the bakery industry’s main packaging formats. Billions of bread bags are used every year. Paper already plays an important role in bakery packaging and is widely recyclable. However, it presents practical limitations and is not always the right solution for bakery products: reduced moisture barrier, shorter shelf-life protection, lack of clarity, and incompatibility with existing high-speed plastic packing lines. For many fresh bakery products, performance cannot be compromised.
Treetop Biopak has developed a compostable high-performance, single-layer material engineered specifically for bakery applications. This advanced solution delivers enhanced barrier properties, helping to preserve the shelf life of fresh bread while meeting strict sustainability standards.
Extensive product testing, including trials with sliced bloomer and sourdough loaves, demonstrated that Treetop Biopak’s compostable bags can maintain freshness for an impressive 7–10 days. Supplied on wickets for seamless use on automatic bread bagging lines, the bags also offer excellent machinability, ensuring efficient, uninterrupted production for bakeries and manufacturers. Clear and printable, it can also be used on flow wrapping machines.
Beyond performance, the innovation provides a responsible end-of-life solution. Designed to fully compost when disposed of correctly, the bags break down without leaving microplastics or harmful residues, offering a genuinely environmentally friendly alternative to conventional plastic bread packaging.
Modern Milkman, an international grocery delivery brand, will be deploying the compostable bread bag from March. It sought branded packaging solution that aligned with its strong sustainability ethos without compromising product integrity and shelf-life. As an overnight delivery service, bread can be exposed to varying environmental conditions, including moisture and fluctuating temperatures, for extended periods. Protective packaging is essential. Modern Milkman will be first to market with this solution, deploying compostable packaging in a traditional industry that is desperate for innovation.
Jenny Thomason, UK Head of Commercial at Modern Milkman, comments: “We’re really excited to launch this to our customers. The search for a solution that protects the quality of our bakery on the doorstep in an eco-friendly way has been years in the making. We’re so proud of this partnership and it gets us even closer to our mission of providing a range of produce where absolutely nothing goes in the bin.”
