Dive Brief:
- ConAgra Foods has updated all of its U.S. and Canadian facilities to now use Bisphenol A (BPA)-free packaging only, as of July 30.
- ConAgra began this initiative in 2010, but some foods required a different approach and alternatives had to be developed for those products.
- The new liners will be for all products the company manufactures in the U.S. and Canada, though ConAgra does hope to transition the few products the company imports into the U.S. and Canada to BPA-free by early next year.
Dive Insight:
While consumers want to purchase foods without artificial ingredients, they are also showing more interest in packaging. One concern has been BPA, a chemical commonly found in the linings of cans and bottles that is used to prevent spoilage. In response, major food companies like Campbell Soup Co. and General Mills Inc. have shifted away from using BPA in some of their packaging.
However, a recent article from The New York Times noted that consumers should be wary of BPA alternatives that have little science to back up their safety.