From 2022 to get organic fruits and vegetables without plastic packaging. For milk or porridge, eco-friendly solutions are controversial.

Ab 2022 of Demeter: cucumber without plastic photo: ap

BERLIN taz | Apples and pears by Demeter, shrink-wrapped in plastic – the has, from January 2022 to an end. Fruits and vegetables are then to be otherwise sold. Demeter, according to his own statement, the first Bioverband that meets these regulations: "We certify, so far, the production and processing of food, cosmetics and textiles," says spokeswoman Susanne Kiebler of the taz.

Now there is a new directives for the Packaging of foodstuffs. The fact that since 2017 will increasingly Demeter products are to be found in conventional supermarkets have packaging increased, so Kiebler. In order to distinguish organic from conventional food, a welding distributors in the sustainable companies of their food now often. Conscious Consumers:indoor puzzles so often on the fruit shelf: organic in plastic or conventional and unpacked?

Demeter as an Association, has no products of its own. The Logo is run as a Co-brand on Demeter-certified products from over 300 Manufacturers. In consultation with the members of the guidelines will be created: What materials can be used? There are products that should only be used in certain materials packaged?

The packaging of juice and milk is not regulated: Demeter-juice is packaged in refillable glass, changes in disposable, also in Tetra Paks. Also for the packaging of milk, baby porridge, and spread so far there are no rules.

"in the future we will create guidelines," says Kiebler. A working group to advise about this. But eco-friendly solutions are not so easy, says Kiebler, "the case of longer distances from the filling station up to the business to the high weight of the glass is reflected in the energy and climate balance, low – light packaging, the Material is often problematic."

Some experts are inside of a different opinion. Ulrike Schaal, packaging expert at the Federal Association health food nature goods (BNN), the reusable system of long-term sense. Important a good infrastructure of rinse stations to be. Because the System is logistically is very expensive, could not assess, whether glasses worth in new sizes for baby, mash or spreads.

puzzles on the fruit shelf: organic in plastic or conventional and unpacked?

Schaal finds it useful to use the existing Deposit system with the well-known glasses sizes: "Times" into the blue": You could use the existing sizes and, for example, cherries in jars, which are normally used for yogurt."

Philipp Sommer, waste expert at the German environmental aid, mentioned a study by the Ifeu-Institute, in which he does not see the cause of the "erroneous belief" that reusable is always the best solution. "The study is the composite packaging from plastic, aluminum and paper artificially beautiful", says summer: "if you Believe of the investigation, it is climate-friendly, vegetation, and produce paper." In the process, producing massive CO2 emissions were associated with the paper, the paper-bound CO2 will be set at the end of the free.

The Ifeu-Institute have pulled back the balance sheet meanwhile, the Association for which the study was created to communicate the results. Summer therefore advises Demeter: "Where it goes should be omitted on the packaging or reusable containers are used."

juice and milk should be more bottles in a regional, reusable, and not in cartons to be sold. Summer: "in addition to honey or yogurt, you could use reusable glasses for spreads, Baby food or canned food."