2 Mar 2010 --- The finest sources and the best processing at Ocean Spray, these claims not only apply for the company’s premium juices but also for the carton packs they are packaged in. In United Kingdom, Ocean Spray and SIG Combibloc are leading the way launching premium juices in aseptic 1-litre carton packs that carry the label of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The label is a clear visible confirmation that the labelled carton packs were manufactured using only wood fibres that can be proven to originate from forests that are managed responsibly and to the highest standards and certified in accordance with FSC guidelines, or other controlled sources.

The first Ocean Spray products which have been launched in United Kingdom in FSC-labelled carton packs combiblocMidi 1,000 ml with the combiSwift screw cap from SIG Combibloc, are the Blueberry and Blueberry Light varieties. Other flavours will follow in the near future. Jonathan Duffin, Business Development Director UK at Ocean Spray, leading brand in the long-life juices and juice drinks segment: “For us, the origin and processing of our products are of paramount importance. This applies not just to the fruits we use to make our premium juices, but also to the cartons we package them in. We have made a deliberate decision to launch our top-quality products in packaging that is composed predominantly of a material that is renewable and traceable back to its source. Beverage cartons carrying the label of the Forest Stewardship Council meet these criteria. The logo on the beverage cartons is a guarantee that consumers are buying packaging whose main component is manufactured from wood fibres which can be traced along the entire value-added chain, from labelled carton pack right back to forest of origin, in accordance with the standards of the FSC. In addition, the logo guarantees, that only wood from FSC-certified forests managed to the highest standards and other controlled sources was used to manufacture the carton packs. This means that, together with consumers, we are contributing to responsible forestry”.

Certified world-wide

SIG Combibloc is so far the only beverage carton manufacturer that is certified for a continuous chain of custody (CoC) in accordance with the criteria of the FSC at all its production sites world-wide. This certification now allows SIG Combibloc to offer its customers all over the world carton packs that are permitted to bear the label ‘FSC Mix’. The FSC is an international, independent, non-profit organisation that works to promote responsible forest management. The council was founded in 1993 following the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro and draws its membership from environmental organisations and development associations, trades unions and representatives from forestry and the wood industry. Its objective is to promote world-wide the responsible, exemplary use of forest resources. For this purpose, the FSC issues certificates for wood and wood products originating from socially and environmentally responsible forestry. The organisation has drawn up a rigorous checklist consisting of ten mandatory principles and 56 criteria. Compliance with these principles and criteria is checked on an ongoing basis by independent certification organisations.