In the ordinary act of reaching for fruit, consumers rarely pause to consider the plastic holding it in place — but Visy has begun to change what that moment looks like. The company's fibre-based Enviropunnet, now paired with an automated labelling system using cardboard flaps and paper labels, removes plastic film entirely from fresh produce packaging. Already running in Victorian apple orchards and appearing on supermarket shelves, the system represents the kind of quiet infrastructure shift that reshapes industry habits without announcement. It is a reminder that meaningful change in sustai
Visy launches plastic-free punnet system with automated labelling for fresh produce
Plastic film and wrap free, while still protecting fresh fruit
Mark
Why does this matter? Plastic wrap on fruit punnets seems like a small thing.
Mimi
It's small per pack, but multiply it across millions of punnets moving through supermarkets every week. The wrap is also hard to recycle—it tangles in machinery. Cardboard and paper are simpler to process.
Mark
But doesn't plastic protect the fruit better? Won't produce spoil faster without it?
Mimi
That's what Visy tested with growers and retailers. The cardboard flaps and the label itself provide enough protection. The system had to meet their standards for freshness and transport, or they wouldn't use it.
Mark
How does a paper label hold fruit in place? That seems fragile.
Mimi
The label is adhesive-backed and wraps around the punnet. The cardboard flaps close over the top. It's not revolutionary—it's more like returning to how punnets worked before plastic became the default.
Mark
Why is local manufacturing mentioned so prominently?
Mimi
Because supply chain reliability matters to growers and retailers. If they're switching systems, they want to know they can get consistent supply without depending on imports or long lead times.
Mark
What's the catch? Why hasn't every producer done this already?
Mimi
Retrofitting existing packing lines takes investment and testing. You need to prove it works at scale before retailers will stock it. Visy has done that work. Others may follow, but they'll need their own trials first.
The Pulse
- Single-use plastic has long been embedded invisibly in fresh produce packaging, and the pressure to remove it without sacrificing shelf life or transport integrity has left the industry searching for workable alternatives.
- Visy's Enviropunnet system replaces plastic film and wrap with cardboard flaps and a food-safe paper label, eliminating plastic from the pack entirely while still protecting fruit through the supply chain.
- The labelling system is designed to integrate into existing packing lines with minimal modification, lowering the barrier for growers and retailers to make the switch without costly infrastructure overhauls.
- A Victorian apple grower is already running the system commercially, a second is preparing to trial it, and Visy expects adoption to spread as more supermarkets begin stocking the fibre-based punnets.
- The punnets are kerbside recyclable and manufactured domestically through Visy's Wodonga and Shepparton facilities, offering growers a secure local supply chain alongside the environmental benefit.
- Visy has not yet disclosed how much plastic the system removes per pack or annually — a transparency gap that leaves the full scale of the shift unmeasured, even as the direction is clear.
In the ordinary act of reaching for fruit, consumers rarely pause to consider the plastic holding it in place — but Visy has begun to change what that moment looks like. The company's fibre-based Enviropunnet, now paired with an automated labelling system using cardboard flaps and paper labels, removes plastic film entirely from fresh produce packaging. Already running in Victorian apple orchards and appearing on supermarket shelves, the system represents the kind of quiet infrastructure shift that reshapes industry habits without announcement. It is a reminder that meaningful change in sustainability often arrives not with declaration, but through the patient redesign of things we barely notice.
Visy has begun moving fresh produce packaging away from plastic, quietly but concretely. The company's automated labelling system for its fibre-based Enviropunnet replaces the plastic film and wrap that have long been standard in supermarket fruit packaging, substituting cardboard flaps and a paper label to hold and identify the product. The system is already operating in commercial packing lines, with a Victorian apple grower currently using it and at least one other preparing to trial it.
The Enviropunnet is available in several sizes — a 1-kilogram format for apples, stone fruit, and tomatoes, a 750-gram option for pears and stone fruit, and premium tray packs from 500 grams to 1 kilogram. Visy designed the labelling system to integrate into existing packing lines without requiring new conveyors or major overhauls, making adoption more accessible for growers and retailers. The labels are food-safe, can include adhesive-free zones to avoid contact with exposed produce, and carry all the branding, date coding, and product information retailers require.
Development involved close collaboration with apple growers and retailers to ensure the system met real-world standards for freshness, protection, and transport. Chris Van Der Merwe, Visy's group general manager of corrugated packaging, described the outcome plainly: Enviropunnets can now be entirely free of plastic film while still doing the job. The punnets are manufactured domestically — board produced in Wodonga, assembled in Shepparton — giving growers access to a reliable local supply chain.
After use, the punnets are suitable for kerbside recycling, allowing recovered fibre to re-enter the packaging cycle. Visy has not disclosed specific plastic reduction figures per pack or annually, leaving the full scale of the impact unquantified for now. Even so, the shift represents a tangible change in a category where plastic has long been nearly invisible — the kind of redesign that alters what consumers see when they reach for fruit, without most of them ever knowing why.
Visy has quietly moved a piece of the fresh produce supply chain away from plastic. The company's new automated labelling system for its fibre-based Enviropunnet replaces the plastic film and wrap that have long held berries, apples, and stone fruit in place on supermarket shelves. Instead, cardboard flaps and a paper label do the work—and the system is already running in commercial packing lines.
A Victorian apple grower is currently using the setup, with at least one other preparing to trial it. The Enviropunnets themselves have begun appearing in some supermarkets, and Visy expects wider adoption as more retailers and growers make the switch. The system works for apples, pears, stone fruit, and tomatoes across several punnet sizes: a 1-kilogram format for most of these fruits, a 750-gram option for pears and stone fruit, and premium tray packs ranging from 500 grams to 1 kilogram.
What makes this work is integration. Visy designed the labelling system to slot into existing packing lines without requiring new conveyors or major overhauls. Some modifications may be needed to connect the incoming and outgoing equipment, but the company says the speed of operation depends mainly on punnet size and the produce being packed. Chris Van Der Merwe, group general manager of corrugated packaging at Visy, framed it simply: the new labelling system means Enviropunnets can now be entirely free of plastic film and wrap while still protecting the fruit inside.
The labels themselves are food-safe and can be printed with adhesive-free zones to avoid contact with exposed produce. They accommodate date coding, custom printing, branding, and product information—all the details retailers and growers need to communicate to consumers. Visy worked closely with apple growers and retailers during development to ensure the system met their standards for product protection, freshness, and transport performance. The company first demonstrated the system publicly at Hort Connections in June.
Manufacturing stays local. The punnets are made through Visy's Australian network, with board produced in Wodonga and assembled in Shepparton. Van Der Merwe noted this gives growers and supermarkets access to a secure, domestic supply chain—a practical advantage in an industry where consistency and reliability matter. After use, the Enviropunnets are suitable for kerbside recycling, allowing the recovered fibre to cycle back into new cardboard packaging.
Visy has not yet disclosed how much plastic is removed per pack or annually across the system. The amount varies depending on punnet size and the flow-wrap specifications being replaced. That transparency gap aside, the shift represents a tangible move toward reducing single-use plastic in a category where it has been nearly invisible—the kind of infrastructure change that happens quietly but reshapes what consumers see when they reach for fruit.
Notable Quotes
Thanks to our new labelling system, our Enviropunnets can now be plastic film and wrap free, while still protecting fresh fruit and veg— Chris Van Der Merwe, group general manager of corrugated packaging at Visy
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