Compostable alternatives for fruit and vegetable labelling
Produce labels provide a vital service to the fresh produce supply chain from farm to fruit bowl. They hold barcodes for traceability, legal origin information and marketing information to sell the product to the consumers. Although small in size, fruit and vegetable stickers pose a major problem to waste streams. If the stickers are removed then they are likely to end up in the residual category, as the size is too small to be processed by standard mechanical recycling centres.
The nature of produce labels being applied to the outer skins on oranges, avocados and bananas results in the label being discarded together with the skin and ending up in the biowaste stream, which is processed through anaerobic digestion and / or composting. The majority of labels are made from conventional, fossil-based plastic materials with a polymeric adhesive layer and inks. Therefore, conventional plastics stickers are a recognised contaminant for the biowaste stream.
Is there any legislation driving change in this market?
The EU has recognised the issues produce labels create and the strain they add to the already struggling waste streams across Europe. The announcement of the PPWR (EU) 2025/40 has applied pressure to the produce label industry to move towards a more sustainable alternative with a viable end of life scenario. Article 9(1) of the PPWR mandates the use of compostable materials for fruit and vegetable labels by 12th February 2028 to tackle the significant problem created by the tiny stickers which growers, supermarkets and consumers rely on.
What is the solution to the fresh produce label waste problem?
Cellulose based NatureFlex™ films are the answer.
Compostable labels based on NatureFlex have been on the market for over 15 years. They have been used in a range of applications including produce labels, meeting the new legislative requirements without impacting the supply chain.
NatureFlex™ films are produced from renewable wood pulp (>90% biobased carbon content according to ASTM D6866), harvested from responsibly managed plantations and meet all the relevant standards for industrial composting, including EN13432, ASTM D6400 and AS4736. They are also certified for home composting according to the Australian home composting standard AS5810, to the French standard by Din Certo and to OK Compost Home protocol. NatureFlex™ films are also EU and FDA direct food contact approved.
The films are available in clear, white or metallised variants to fit all client requirements. Their mechanical properties make them well suited to die-cutting and dispensing. Being stiffer than other bio-based and compostable alternatives, they can be used in thinner grammage, whilst still maintaining excellent machineability. They showcase excellent printability to achieve a highly decorative finish and great adhesive key.
Cellulose films are inherently anti-static which aids the machineability of the film through conversion. NatureFlex™ cellulose films also have a high barrier to oils and chemicals, which can prevent any transfer through the label, preserving the quality of the label over time.
NatureFlex™ films are very stable; the films’ mechanical properties do not change over time. This is an important feature in an industry where labels can be kept from one season, to the next, due to the unpredictable nature of growing fresh produce. Produce labels based on NatureFlex™ films will sustain their performance when held in stock from season to season and allow for flexibility when the amount of seasonal produce sold is not easily controlled.
What is Anaerobic Digestion and why does it matter?
Anaerobic digestion (AD) is widely utilised across the UK and Europe to process biowaste.
Anaerobic digestion is the process of organic matter being degraded by micro-organisms in the absence of oxygen which produces a mixture of methane, carbon dioxide and digestate. The biogas produced (carbon dioxide and methane) can be:
- Treated in a combined heat and power plant to produce electricity and steam, or
- Upgraded to biomethane, a renewable gas suitable for use as a fuel, or injection into the national grid.
Anaerobic digestion (AD) is suitable for organic waste with high moisture content such as kitchen or food waste. As of 2025, there are currently 756 operational AD plants in the UK, with AD playing an important role in the generation of renewable energy.
Inevitably, fruit and vegetable labels end up in this waste stream as the consumers dispose of the label together with the fruit and vegetable skins. As the stickers are too small to be removed and most other materials, especially conventional plastics, do not break down under anaerobic condition, this can lead to contamination of the digestate.
NatureFlex™ films are fairly unique in that they are suitable for AD, breaking down in the process and therefore do not contaminate it. All NatureFlex™ grades can accompany this waste stream, improving the organic recovery process. Futamura tested NatureFlex™ films for High Solids Anaerobic Digestion according to ISO15985:2004. The results showed that all samples could be considered as completely biodegradable under solid, anaerobic conditions.