UPM Raflatac has begun including environmental footprint data in its customer quotes, aiming to improve transparency and support more informed material choices in the labelling industry. The data, presented as Product Passport Prototypes (PPPs), offers label converters insight into the environmental impact of label materials throughout their lifecycle.
Linked automatically to quote documents, the PPPs include metrics such as greenhouse gas emissions and resource use. This information allows converters to consider sustainability earlier in the purchasing process, where raw materials typically account for 70-90% of their total environmental impact.
Jason Fuller, procurement category manager at packaging company Coveris, noted that the feature supports more informed decision-making. “It helps us evaluate the environmental performance of materials and make better choices,” he said.
Flora D’Souza, manager of label life at UPM Raflatac
The addition of footprint data also comes at a time when sustainability regulations are becoming more demanding. The upcoming Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation will require certain products sold in the EU to include a digital product passport, which the company said makes its approach relevant for future compliance.
The PPPs are based on data from UPM Raflatac’s label life service, a life cycle assessment tool that has been externally validated by certification body Dekra. Currently, the service covers more than 90% of the company’s label products by global sales volume.
Flora D’Souza, manager of label life at UPM Raflatac, commented: “The PPPs already cover over 90% of UPM Raflatac’s label products by sales volume globally. We are proud to offer this exclusive service in our customer quotes as the first player in the labelling industry.”
