Recyclable Paper Packaging Lowers Plastic Use for Snacks
Manufacturers can utilize existing hot-sealing lines to transition to paper materials as regulatory requirements tighten.
Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Consumer Goods
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The Bel Group has introduced a recyclable paper flowpack for its two-pack Babybel snacks to replace fossil-fuel-based plastic. The packaging, which uses Koehler Paper materials, is already available in the United States, Canada, and parts of Europe.
Why it matters
Operators facing increased consumer demand and regulatory pressure for sustainable packaging must evaluate material compatibility with existing equipment. This shift demonstrates how legacy manufacturing lines can be adapted to process renewable materials without replacing entire systems.
The Bel Group estimates the new packaging will reduce plastic use by 60% per net and cut annual CO2 emissions by 2,500 tons. This update follows a baseline of two billion portions of Babybel consumed worldwide annually.
The players
The Bel Group
A multinational food company that manufactures branded snack portions for global distribution.
Koehler Paper
A German specialty paper manufacturer that provides the fibre-based materials used in recyclable food packaging.
The details
The new flowpack utilizes Koehler Paper’s NexPlus Seal Pure, a material composed of 100% virgin fibre pulp. The Bel Group successfully retrofitted existing packaging lines at its Évron, France factory by developing industrial parameters for hot-sealing technology. By adjusting these machine settings, the company avoids the need for wholesale infrastructure replacement while transitioning away from plastic.
Timeline
- 2026-10-21
The paper flowpack rollout is active in select global markets.
2027: The company plans to wrap all Babybel snacks in responsibly sourced paper.
2030: The target date for the full transition to recyclable packaging.
Market Landscape
The transition to paper packaging follows an industry-wide trend of manufacturers updating materials to comply with stringent extended producer responsibility regulations. This effort mirrors moves by major consumer goods firms to shift away from plastic to maintain market access in regions with mandatory recyclability requirements.
Operators should review their own packaging lines to determine if hot-sealing technology can be recalibrated for renewable, fibre-based alternatives. Assess your current plastic-to-paper ratio against rising compliance costs to determine the fiscal viability of a similar material swap.
The takeaway
Legacy equipment is often more versatile than operators assume, provided that technical testing for new materials is prioritized. Monitor the 2027 target for full paper adoption to see if further scaling impacts unit production costs for the snack category.
Further reading
For more on industry sustainability shifts, visit Consumer Goods.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Packaging Europe.
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