CCL Label advances sustainable beverage packaging

CCL Label has introduced sustainability-driven label technologies designed to enhance recyclability and enable circular packaging for the functional beverages market.

The company's portfolio includes EcoFloat White, a floatable label that separates efficiently from PET during recycling while providing light-blocking properties in sleeves, enabling brands to transition from opaque containers to transparent PET. EcoShear pressure-sensitive labels are engineered to shear cleanly from glass containers during sorting and recycling processes.

WashOff labels detach during standard washing processes for returnable glass or PET bottles, supporting reuse and refill schemes. EcoStream PSL labels remove cleanly in one piece during recycling, improving recyclate purity from PET bottles. The company also offers monomaterial pouches using single-material structures for emerging functional beverage formats.

'Functional drinks are at the intersection of health, innovation and sustainability. Brands are moving fast to address consumer demand for probiotics, protein and better-for-you refreshment – but packaging must evolve just as quickly. Our goal is to provide labeling and packaging products that support recyclability and circularity while allowing brands to stand out and clearly communicate value to consumers,' explained Reinhard Streit, group vice president, food and beverage global at CCL Label.

According to the company, the functional beverage market is expanding beyond traditional energy and sports drinks to include probiotic and prebiotic beverages, protein-enriched drinks and hard refreshers packaged in glass, PET bottles, cans or flexible formats.