Design of a sustainable closure for mayonnaise squeeze bottles
M.M.A. Ballemans (TU Delft - Industrial Design Engineering)
Sylvia Mooij – Mentor (TU Delft - Responsible Marketing and Consumer Behavior)
S.M. Persaud – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Design for Sustainability)
R. Reinderman – Coach (Unilever R&D)
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Abstract
Dressings like mayonnaise can be stored in different ways. A popular way is in a rigid plastic bottle made from PET with a PP closure. This packaging can be designed top-up (the closure is on top of the bottle) or top-down (the bottle stands on the closure). The top-down rigid plastic packaging is the most used by Unilever for their dressings. This top-down configuration has an iconic closure, Figure 2. Figure 2. The Original closure The original closure has a unique aesthetic of a tapered design towards the nozzle. Besides helping the product move more easily towards the opening, this design also helps the user aim the mayonnaise onto the plate. The closure has a silicone valve to create controlled dosing and maintain cleanness inside the closure after dosing. Ensuring this dosing experience is vital to Unilever and Unilever brands. This silicone valve fits into a PP insert, which then is inserted into the closure, Figure 3. Figure 3. The silicone valve and PP insert that goes into the closure. Despite the advantages described above, the downside of this closure is the silicone valve inside. With the upcoming Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) changes in 2030 and the new legislation in France, the silicone material of the valve is no longer recognized as a recyclable material. The current closure is not recyclable according to the new PPWR legislation. A solution for the original closure is thus required. 7 This is why this new closure is developed, Figure 4. A valveless closure in line with the upcoming legislation and ensures the desired dosing experience. Figure 4. The newly designed valveless closure This newly developed closure consists of multiple features to create the so-called experience. The orifice of the closure is re-designed, to create ease of dosing, and the lid is designed to ensure a leakproof closure. This newly designed closure as a replacer for the original closure is more sustainable since it is a mono-material closure, which enhances recyclability.