Coveris is placing recyclable flexible packaging at the centre of its cheese packaging strategy as UK and EU legislation accelerates the shift away from difficult-to-recycle materials. The company will showcase its latest cheese packaging portfolio at the International Cheese & Dairy Awards and EXPO, taking place from 24 to 25 June at the Staffordshire County Showground.

The focus of the range is clear: helping cheese producers move toward recycle-ready formats without compromising shelf life, barrier protection or production efficiency. As regulation evolves, packaging for grated, block and sliced cheese must deliver both environmental improvements and the technical performance required for chilled dairy supply chains.

Coveris has concentrated its innovation on mono-material and polyolefin structures, which are designed to improve recyclability when compared with traditional mixed-material laminates. This approach reflects a broader movement across flexible packaging, where converters are redesigning films to reduce complexity and support future collection and recycling systems.

For cheese producers, the challenge is not simply to reduce plastic use, but to adopt packaging that remains safe, protective and commercially practical while meeting new recyclability expectations.

In the UK, the upcoming Simpler Recycling deadline is a major driver of change. By March 2027, mandatory kerbside collections for plastic films and bags are expected to reshape how flexible packaging is recovered. Coveris says its recycle-ready formats are already being developed with this transition in mind, while also supporting the UK’s packaging Extended Producer Responsibility framework and aligning with the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation.

For grated cheese, Coveris highlights its MonoFlexBE pouches, which are already used by several UK retailers and brand owners. The pouches use a polyethylene-based laminate structure and are recyclable through front-of-store collection schemes, while also being prepared for future kerbside film collection. According to the company, the format can provide high-barrier protection and shelf life of up to 120 days, alongside reductions in plastic use and carbon emissions.

Block cheese presents different packaging challenges, particularly around oxygen barrier performance, sealing reliability and product protection during distribution. For this segment, Coveris offers its PolyFlex form, fill and seal polyolefin film as a recycle-ready alternative to conventional nylon/PE laminates. The company says the solution has been validated to deliver strong shelf-life performance while reducing material weight and lowering carbon footprint compared with non-recyclable films.

In sliced cheese, Coveris is promoting its MonoFlexBE lidding film, a peelable recycle-ready option designed to work with a range of existing base web trays. This compatibility is important for dairy producers because packaging transitions are easier to adopt when they do not require major changes to installed equipment or tray systems.

• Grated cheese: PE-based pouches designed for recyclability and long shelf life.
• Block cheese: polyolefin films developed as alternatives to traditional nylon-based laminates.
• Sliced cheese: peelable lidding films compatible with existing tray formats.

The legislative context makes this innovation particularly relevant. Cheese packaging must protect product quality, prevent waste and maintain consumer convenience, but it is also under growing pressure to become easier to collect, sort and recycle. A pack that reduces material impact but causes higher food waste would not represent a true sustainability gain, which is why validated shelf-life performance is critical.

Coveris’ UK technical applications manager for meat, fish, poultry and dairy, Alexandra Burgess, said the company is taking a proactive approach to the changing legislative landscape. She highlighted the role of mono-material and polyolefin innovation, combined with technical expertise and food science capabilities, in supporting producers as they transition to future-ready recyclable packaging.

The development shows how flexible packaging is adapting to a new regulatory and commercial reality. For cheese manufacturers, the next phase of packaging innovation will depend on balancing recyclability, barrier performance, machine compatibility, material reduction and consumer experience. Coveris’ latest portfolio positions recyclable cheese packaging as both a compliance pathway and a practical route to lower-impact dairy packaging.

Image concept: recyclable flexible cheese packaging displayed at a dairy trade show, including grated cheese pouches, block cheese film and sliced cheese lidding solutions with clear sustainability messaging.