> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://cibocom.ghost.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Farewell to Black Meat Trays
- URL: https://cibocom.ghost.io/farewell-to-black-meat-trays/
- Published: 2024-02-28T01:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-08T15:12:13.000Z
- Author: Cibocom
- Tags: Danish Crown, pork, beef

Every year, Danish Crown distributes 55 million black plastic meat trays into the Danish retail market, either for packaging its own products or for private label products in Danish supermarkets. However, Danish consumers will now have to adapt to a change in the traditional black meat tray. - Danish Crown has been proactively addressing the issues related to the black plastic tray for a considerable period. As a contemporary food producer, we cannot tolerate our packaging not being widely recycled. In 2019, we switched to PET plastic, which is supposed to be recyclable. Nevertheless, we must admit that the existing technology in sorting facilities poses difficulties. As a result, we have chosen to gradually eliminate our black trays, states Tim Ørting Jørgensen, a member of Danish Crown's executive management, primarily responsible for the company's commercial division. Encouraging consumers to participate in the journey The black meat trays present a specific problem in waste sorting, as they are frequently not detected by the optical sorting systems (NIR) used to sort plastic waste. This is because black plastic does not reflect light in a manner that allows the sensors to accurately identify the material. Consequently, black meat trays often end up being burned instead of being recycled. The 55 million black meat trays from Danish Crown comprise more than 1,000 tons of plastic in total. The green hue of the new trays is deliberately chosen, not to indicate the environmental advantages of the trays, but for practical reasons. Transitioning from black to green makes the trays more easily identifiable in the mechanical recycling processes, enabling used trays to be converted into new ones. This solution allows for the use of more recycled plastic from, for instance, household waste, and not just bottles as previously. This is clarified by Faerch Group, a global leader in plastic recycling in the food industry. Faerch, which will manufacture the new trays for Danish Crown, assures that the trays will contain at least 90 percent recycled plastic. - By opting for the green Evolve by Faerch trays, Danish Crown ensures that the trays will contain more recycled plastic than if the trays were, for instance, in clear plastic, where only completely transparent plastic can be used. The solution chosen by Danish Crown is highly circular, as it guarantees both a significant use of recycled plastic and the capability to sort and recycle used trays into new ones, says Group CSO at Faerch, Elisabet Sandnes. The change applies to all trays The gradual elimination of the black meat trays will apply to the packaging for all Danish Crown’s products that currently come in a traditional meat tray in Denmark. The majority of these contain minced beef or pork, but also items such as sausages, sliced pork and chops will, in the future, be packaged in the green Evolve by Faerch tray. - We are confident that consumers will accept the idea. It may require some adaptation, especially considering that, for many years, people have been used to meat coming in a black meat tray. However, we know from our organic products, which are already presented in the green Evolve by Faerch tray that it is feasible, says Director, Global Categories at Danish Crown, Malene Eriksen Vestergaard, adding: - Simultaneously, consumers are freed from the frustration of having to sort their plastic trays correctly, only to see them being burned at a waste-to-energy plant instead of being recycled. The Danish Plastics Federation, a trade organisation for plastics converting companies in Denmark, has published a design guide for the reuse and recycling of plastic packaging. Here, the support for the switch to the new trays is strong. - Danish Crown has made a praiseworthy decision to replace their black meat trays with ones that are not only easier to sort for recycling but also incorporate significant amounts of recycled plastic. This is exactly the direction the entire industry should take to better conserve the Earth’s resources and reduce C02 emissions, says environmental manager at the Danish Plastics Federation, Christina Busk. 100 percent recyclable packaging In 2022, Danish Crown significantly stepped up its efforts to reduce emissions from the group’s packaging by implementing a new packaging strategy called “Less volume, more recyclability”. With this strategy, the company has set an ambitious target that, by 2030, 100 percent of Danish Crown’s products should be packed in recyclable packaging. At the same time, the volume of packaging should be reduced, aiming for a 30 percent decrease by 2030 compared to current levels. By 2025, the goal is for 90 percent of Danish Crown’s packaging to be recyclable, with an additional target of reducing the volume of packaging by 15 percent. - To achieve Danish Crown’s sustainability goals, it is crucial that we decrease the volume of our packaging, and that the packaging we use is recyclable. While the majority of our emissions come from the farms, we simply cannot reach our