Retailer Aldi UK and dairy cooperative Arla Foods UK have launched an eight-week packaging pilot using invisible ultraviolet (UV) tagging technology to track milk bottles through the UK waste and recycling system.
Executed in partnership with recycling technology provider Polytag, the pilot aims to deliver real-time data on how high-density polyethene (HDPE) milk packaging moves through materials recovery facilities (MRFs) and sorting infrastructure.
The project builds upon an initial 2023 trial conducted by Aldi, Arla, and Polytag, which tested pressure-sensitive labels. The updated pilot transitions to wrap-around labels to improve material coverage and label durability across high-volume dairy processing operations.
Advanced Packaging Traceability
The trial integrates UV detection technology directly into high-volume liquid dairy bottling lines to collect granular, barcode-level data on packaging recovery.
Key technical specifications and operational components of the pilot include:
🏷️ Invisible UV Tagging: Applied to wrap-around labels produced by Saica Flex at Arla's Oakthorpe dairy, utilising food-safe fluorescent ink developed by Sun Chemical.
📡 MRF Detection Scanning: Scanned by Polytag detection units installed across participating materials recovery facilities to capture real-time sorting events.
📊 Digital Dashboard Analytics: Transmits barcode-level data to an online portal, enabling brand owners and retailers to monitor recycling rates and post-consumer material flow.
♻️ RecyClass and EPBP Tested: Verified against RecyClass Washing Quick Test Procedures and EPBP Quicktest QT 507 standards to ensure the fluorescent ink does not degrade recycled polymer quality.
Technology Integration
The deployment marks the first commercial application combining Sun Chemical's proprietary fluorescent ink with Polytag's ink-agnostic detection infrastructure.
Luke Emery, Plastics and Packaging Director at Aldi UK, stated that embedding traceability technology into primary packaging allows the retailer to gain precise metrics regarding the end-of-life journey of its packaging materials.
Helena Delgado Nordmann, Head of Sustainability at Arla Foods UK, noted that the data gathered through Polytag's dashboard will inform future packaging engineering decisions and support broader circularity goals for the dairy industry.
Stefaan D'hoore, Director of Business Development for Speciality Inks and Coatings at Sun Chemical, added that the trial demonstrates how cross-sector partnerships between ink suppliers, label converters, retailers, and tech providers can establish data transparency without compromising polymer recycling streams.
Implications for Dairy Packaging
Data gathered during the eight-week pilot will be used to evaluate label durability, detection accuracy, and sorting performance within commercial recovery facilities.
By verifying bottle recovery rates at the individual SKU level, the project provides a benchmark for UK grocery retailers and FMCG brand owners seeking to comply with evolving Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations and corporate sustainability mandates.
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