Packaging for foodstuffs

EP4688399A1Pending Publication Date: 2026-02-11D & M PACKAGING LTD
View PDF 0 Cites 0 Cited by

Patent Information

Application Number
EP2024719255
Authority / Receiving Office
EP · EP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2023-03-29
Filing Date
2024-03-28
Publication Date
2026-02-11

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Current mono-material plastic food packaging recycling processes are inefficient due to the separate recycling pathways for PET receptacles and PET film lids, with PET lids often ending up in energy-from-waste sites as contaminants in chemical recycling pathways.

Method used

A method of manufacturing food packaging where a PET receptacle is heat-sealed with a PET film lid, featuring a peelable region defined by an interference lacquer and a non-peelable region, ensuring the lid remains bonded to the receptacle, allowing the entire packaging to be recycled as a single mono-material article through a common waste processing pathway.

Benefits of technology

This approach enables the entire packaging to be recycled as PET, capturing additional PET material and reducing waste, as the lid is retained with the tray, preventing separation into divergent recycling streams and increasing recyclability efficiency.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

Smart Images

  • Figure GB2024050885_03102024_PF_FP_ABST
    Figure GB2024050885_03102024_PF_FP_ABST
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

The present invention provides an article of mono-material food packaging formed from polyester terephthalate (PET) and associated methods of manufacturing said packaging.
Need to check novelty before this filing date? Find Prior Art

Description

[0001] PACKAGING FOR FOODSTUFFS

[0002] Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to articles of food packaging and in particular plastics mono-material receptacles with peelable lidding and methods of manufacturing such.

[0004] Background of the Invention

[0005] For many years both fresh and pre-prepared food has been packaged and supplied to consumers in plastic trays with plastic film lids. Such packaging, which comes in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, combines a plastic receptacle with a removable lid to protectively seal in perishable food products until they are eaten.

[0006] Typically the design of the trays and their film lids has been optimised for cost and functionality. As a result packaging manufacturers have tended to control the material costs by adopting the thinnest solutions possible for the trays and lid components.

[0007] In order to achieve a reduction in the thickness of the packaging material used without compromising the principal function of the packaging, which is to keep the perishable contents of the packaging as fresh as possible for as long as possible, manufacturers have employed laminated plastics.

[0008] Oftentimes, laminates of different materials are used to optimise the barrier or seal properties of the packaging (i.e., to ensure that packaged foodstuffs are preserved for as long as possible) with the minimum amount of material necessary whilst also maintaining a structurally resilient article of packaging.

[0009] In more recent times, however, increased environmental concerns have led manufacturers to consider the environmental impact of plastics-based packaging, particularly that generated by the food industry, which typically ended up in landfill sites.

[0010] In order to reduce the amount of packaging being disposed of at landfill, manufacturers designed their plastics-based packaging to make it easier for them to be recycled.

[0011] In order to enable their plastic-based packaging to be better processed through existing plastics waste processing pathways, manufacturers have focused on the use of mono-material plastic packaging. Articles made from a single type of plastic are much easier to recycle because they can be readily formed back into a usable product. In contrast, recycling laminates, which are commonly formed from combinations of different plastic / polymer types, can produce a much lower quality product due to the incompatibility of the different plastic / polymer components present.

[0012] Through the application of various technologies, packaging manufacturers have adopted Polyester Terephthalate (PET), which exists in a range of forms, to produce a range of mono-material plastics trays.

[0013] Manufacturers have found that different forms of PET can be combined to produce receptacles (e.g., trays) that have the required packaging functionality (i.e. , structural and sealing / bamer characteristics) at an acceptable cost, whilst at the same time also delivering trays that can be efficiently recycled using existing pathways. Consequently the recycling pathway for plastic trays (generally referred to as Tigids’) is well established.

[0014] The drive towards increased recyclability of the lid component of the packaging has seen the use of Polypropylene (PP) and Polyethylene (PE) either as a mono-material component or a laminated component. The similar chemical and physical forms of PP and PE means that lids formed from laminates of these materials can be processed via a common chemical recycling pathway.

[0015] Although the developments in mono-material plastic trays and mono-material lids have increased recycling levels, there is still a need to increase the efficiency of the recycling process in the area of single-use food packaging.

[0016] Summary of the Invention

[0017] With a view to providing packaging for foodstuffs that can be efficiently recycled without negatively affecting other crucial aspects of the packaging, such as seal quality or manufacturing cost, the present invention provides an article of packaging for foodstuffs and a method of manufacturing such packaging.

[0018] In particular the present invention provided a method of manufacture in accordance with claim 1 and an article of food packaging in accordance with claim 10.

[0019] The method of manufacturing an article of food packaging comprises: providing a polyester terephthalate (PET) receptacle having an opening bordered by a seal flange; heat sealing a polyester terephthalate (PET) film lid to the seal flange so as to cover the opening of the receptacle; and wherein the seal formed between the seal flange of the receptacle and the film lid comprises a peelable region and a non-peelable region such that the film lid can be peeled away from the seal flange to reveal the receptacle opening whilst ensuring that the film lid remains bonded to the receptacle.

[0020] It is envisaged that forming both the receptacle and the film lid from PET allows both components to be processed via the waste recycling pathway. This is important because film lids that are formed from or comprise PET cannot be recycled via the same recycling pathways that are used for Polypropylene (PP) and Polyethylene (PE) film lids. For example, in the case of chemical recycling, PET is considered to represent a contaminant in chemical recycling pathways, and therefore film lids comprising PET typically cannot be recycled and end up being burned at an energy for waste (EFW) site.

[0021] Crucially in the present invention the PET lid is bonded to the PET receptacle in such a way that is cannot be fully removed. Consequently the packaging of the present invention is retained as a single mono-material article both during and after its use.

[0022] Maintaining the packaging as a single article means that it can be processed through the same waste processing pathway rather than via divergent pathways where the receptacle is processed via a ‘rigid’ plastics waste stream and the film lid is processed via a flexible plastics waste stream.

[0023] As a result, the entire article of packaging can be recycled as PET rather than a situation where the rigid receptacle is recycled and the flexible film lid, which is difficult to handle on an industrial scale due to its flexible and lightweight nature, is simply burned at an energy for waste (EFW) site. The quantities of single-use packaging used each year means that capturing the additional PET material from the film lids is significant.

[0024] Preferably in a first aspect of the present invention, the film lid is a weld seal PET film and the peelable region of the seal is provided by applying a coating of an interference lacquer on the weld seal PET film that aligns with the seal flange when the film lid is bonded to the receptacle and reduces the strength of the bond formed between the film lid and the receptacle. Further preferably the interference lacquer is a co-polymer selected from a group that contains: polyester copolymers, acrylic copolymers, vinyl copolymers, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymers, ethylene methyl acrylate (EMA) copolymers, and blends thereof.

[0025] The identified co-polymers are considered preferable because whilst they are still capable of forming a bond between the lid and the seal flange, the bond formed is much weaker than the bond formed directly between the weld seal PET film and the seal flange of the PET receptacle. It is this distinction between the relative strengths of the bonds formed that helps to define the peelable and non-peelable regions of the seal.

[0026] It is envisaged that the interference lacquer used does not necessarily need to be Polyester based because the lacquer represents only a very small proportion of the total packaging material, when the PET receptacle and the PET lid are considered in combination.

[0027] Preferably the coat weight of the interference lacquer is between 0.5 and 10 grams per square metre (gsm), and further preferably between 2 and 4 grams per square metre (gsm).

[0028] Preferably the non-peelable region makes up at least 25% of the seal formed between the seal flange of the receptacle and the film lid. This ensures that the lid is retained on the tray with sufficient strength to maintain the two components as a single monomaterial article, even after the majority of the lid has been peeled away from the receptacle.

[0029] Preferably in those embodiments where the film lid is weld seal PET film, the film lid is provided with a printed design on the opposite side thereof to the interference lacquer such that the printed design is in register with the interference lacquer. Having the printed design and lacquer in register with one another helps to ensure that the lacquer, which is typically clear and difficult to see, can be correctly aligned with the flange of the receptacle during the packaging process.

[0030] Preferably in a second aspect of the present invention, a weld seal coating may be applied to the film lid to define the non-peelable region of the seal and a peelable coating is applied to the film lid to define the peelable region of the seal, whereby both the weld seal coating and the peelable coating are applied so as to align with the seal flange when the film lid is bonded to the receptacle.

[0031] Preferably the weld seal coating is polyester-based.

[0032] Preferably the peelable coating is a co-polymer selected from a group that contains: polyester copolymers, acrylic copolymers, vinyl copolymers, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymers, ethylene methyl acrylate (EMA) copolymers, and blends thereof.

[0033] Once again, it is appreciated that, whilst a variety of coatings may be applied within the broadest scope of the claimed invention, it is essential that the strength of the bond formed between the lid and the receptacle (i.e. , the tray) as a result of the weld seal coating is greater than the strength of the bond formed between the lid and the receptacle by the peelable coating.

[0034] The article of food packaging comprises: a polyester terephthalate (PET) receptacle having an opening bordered by a seal flange; and a polyester terephthalate (PET) film lid heat sealed to the seal flange so as to cover the opening of the receptacle; and wherein seal between the seal flange of the receptacle and the film lid comprises a peelable region and a non-peelable region such that the film lid can be peeled away from the seal flange to reveal the receptacle opening whilst ensuring that the film lid remains bonded to the receptacle.

[0035] Preferably, and in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention, the film lid is weld seal PET film and the peelable region of the seal is defined by an interference lacquer that aligns with the seal flange when the film lid is bonded to the receptacle and reduces the strength of the bond formed between the film lid and the receptacle.

[0036] Alternatively, and in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention, the non- peelable region of the seal is defined by a polyester-based weld seal coating and the peelable region of the seal is defined by a peelable coating.

[0037] Preferably the peelable coating is a co-polymer selected from a group that contains: polyester copolymers, acrylic copolymers, vinyl copolymers, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymers, ethylene methyl acrylate (EMA) copolymers, and blends thereof. Preferably the seal flange comprises a plurality of straight edges and the non-peelable region comprises at least one of said straight edges.

[0038] Preferably the non-peelable region makes up at least 25% of the seal formed between the seal flange of the receptacle and the film lid.

[0039] Brief Description of the Drawings

[0040] The various aspects of the present invention will now be described with reference to the preferred embodiments shown in the drawings, wherein:

[0041] Figure 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the food packaging tray in accordance with a first aspect of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 2 shows two key stages of the manufacture process for the food packaging tray shown in Figure 1 ;

[0043] Figure 3 shows a preferred embodiment of the food packaging tray in accordance with a second aspect of the present invention; and

[0044] Figure 4 shows two key stages of the manufacture process for the food packaging tray shown in Figure 3.

[0045] Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

[0046] The present invention provides two alternative approaches to producing lidded monomaterial plastic food packaging. In a first aspect, the present invention provides an ‘interference’ approach. In a second aspect, the present invention provides a ‘two- coat’ approach. It will be appreciated that both approaches are capable of delivering a mono-material plastic food packaging that is provided with partially peelable lid that is retained as part of the packaging.

[0047] It is envisaged that both aspects of the present invention cover a wide range of shapes and sizes of PET receptacles with openings that are covered by a PET film lid.

[0048] As noted above, by ensuring that the PET receptacle and its PET film lid remain conjoined at all times, the mono-material plastic food packaging of the present invention can be recycled as one through a common waste processing pathway. This enables the lid component, which is typically much less recycled, to be included in the recycling process. Given the sheer volume of mono-use food packaging recycled each year, this represents a large amount of additional PET material being captured.

[0049] It is envisaged that the increased level of recyclability made possible by the partially peelable nature of the seal formed between the food receiving receptacle and its lid can be realised for a wide range of shapes and sizes of mono-material packaging.

[0050] With that said, for the sake of clarity, the packaging embodiments of both the first and the second aspects of the present invention are shown in the figures as a standard rectangular tray with a corresponding rectangular film lid. The skilled person will appreciate that the shape and size of the tray, as well as its corresponding lid, can be varied without departing from the general scope of the present invention.

[0051] A preferred embodiment of an article of packaging in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention will now be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. As noted above, and for reasons that will be apparent to the skilled person, packaging in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention is referred to hereinafter as the ‘interference’ embodiment.

[0052] Figure 1 shows an article of food packaging 1 . The main body of the packaging 1 is provided by a tray 2, which is preferably moulded from polyester terephthalate (PET). The moulded tray 2 is provided with flange 3, which runs around the tray’s entire perimeter, and surrounds an opening 4, via which contents (e.g., foodstuffs) can be placed in the tray.

[0053] The tray comprises a base with walls extended up from it to define a catchment area to receive foodstuffs. The flange 3, which is located on the top of the tray’s walls, presents a consistent flat surface around the entire perimeter of the tray 2 in order provide a suitable contact surface for the film lid 5 to be bonded to.

[0054] The skilled person will appreciate that, although the width of the flange 3 can be varied from one tray to the next, the flange 3 must always provide sufficient surface area for an efficient seal to be formed with the film lid 5 around the entire perimeter of the tray 2. In this way the contents of the tray can be completely sealed off from the environment, which helps to preserve the contents (e.g., foodstuffs).

[0055] The film lid 5 is provided in the form of weld seal PET film. It will be appreciated that weld seal PET films are provided with a heat activated sealant layer that is capable of forming strong sealing bond with the flange 3 of the tray 2, which is also made of PET. It is envisaged that, following the sealing process, a strong non-peelable bond 7 is formed wherever the weld seal PET film 9 and the tray 2 come into direct contact with one another.

[0056] In order to enable the film lid 5 to be peeled away from the tray 2, so that the contents of the tray 2 can be accessed, an interference lacquer is selectively coated on top of the sealant layer of the weld seal PET film 9.

[0057] To this end, the underside of the film lid 5, which is the side that faces the tray 2 in use, is coated with a suitable co-polymer interference lacquer 6. Examples of suitable interference lacquers include: polyester copolymers, acrylic copolymers, vinyl copolymers, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymers, ethylene methyl acrylate (EMA) copolymers, and blends thereof.

[0058] The interference lacquer coating 6 is positioned in alignment with the seal flange 3 of the tray 2 to block the direct contact between the weld seal PET film and the flange in the target region. This blocked region forms the peelable region 8 where the bond between the tray 2 and the lid 5 is noticeably weaker than that which is formed in the non-peelable region 7.

[0059] It is this distinction between the seal / bond strengths of the peelable and non-peelable regions that allows access to the tray’s contents without allowing the lid to be completely removed from the tray. As noted above, maintaining the lid and the tray as a single article of packaging throughout its lifetime enables all elements of the packaging to be conveniently recycled by a common waste processing pathway rather than just the rigid tray element.

[0060] It will be appreciated that, although the PET used in the lid represents a much smaller proportion of the total than the tray, when the packaging of the present invention is recycled on mass a significant amount of PET, that would otherwise have been lost (e.g. burned), could be reclaimed.

[0061] Turning now to Figure 2, some key elements of the manufacturing process for the article of food packaging 1 will now be described.

[0062] Figure 2 shows a section of weld seal PET film 9, which would typically be provided as roll of several thousand metres in length (e.g. 12,000 to 24,000m) delivered by rollers on a processing line. The underside of the weld seal PET film is coated with a suitable heat activated sealant adhesive.

[0063] The rollers (not shown) deliver the film 9 to a printing tool which applies the coating 6 of interference lacquer in the desired pattern to the underside of the film 9. It will be appreciated that the pattern of the interference lacquer coating 6 is positioned so as to be in alignment with the flange 3 of the tray 2 when the tray 2 and the film 9 are brought together.

[0064] Although the coating 6 is shown in Figure 2 as extending across one of the shorter edges and partially along the two longer edges, alternative coating patterns could be adopted provided the lid can be peeled back sufficiently to allow access to the contents of the tray 2. For example, in one alternative arrangement the coating pattern may be applied in alignment with one long edge only.

[0065] It is noted that, although Figure 2 does not show all of the stages of the food packaging manufacture process, the skilled person will appreciate how the step of applying the interference lacquer coating to the weld seal PET film could be incorporated into existing manufacturing lines without unduly disrupting the manufacturing pathway.

[0066] In this regard it is envisioned that the method of the present invention can carried out using either of the two main print techniques currently employed in the manufacture of flexible packaging, such being flexographic printing and rotogravure printing. However, it is appreciated that the two techniques do differ in the way that they measure and apply the lacquer to the plastic film substrate.

[0067] As will be understood by the skilled person, flexography works on the principle that the design to be printed is etched onto a printing ‘plate’ (or roller) as a positive relief and this pattern is then ‘dipped’ into the ink / lacquer and this positive image is transferred to the substrate.

[0068] With a rotogravure system the image required is etched into a cylinder. The ink / lacquer is then coated onto the cylinder with excess being wiped off. The film substrate is then pressed onto the cylinder so that it removes the ink / lacquer from the cylinder, and so the printed pattern is generated.

[0069] Both of these approaches can be employed to apply the interference lacquer coating 6 to the film 9. Although not shown, it is envisaged that preferably the upper side of the PET film (i.e. the side not bonded to the tray) further comprises a printed ink image and that such printed image and the interference lacquer coating are printed in register.

[0070] As noted above, the lacquer needs to be applied to the film in specific alignment with the flange of the tray. This is important to ensure that the peelable and non-peelable regions are precisely positioned around the flange of the tray. If they are not in the correct position on the seal flange then the film will either weld where it is not desirable for it to be welded or it will peel where it is undesirable - or it will not seal at all.

[0071] Generally, the lacquers used in the present invention are designed to be clear so that they do not impede the visibility of the product. As such, the packing machine cannot use the lacquer to help align the packaging during the packing process.

[0072] Therefore, it has been found that by aligning the lacquer coating on the underside of the PET film with an ink image printed on the upper side of the film the pack machine can use the visible ink image to establish the positioning of the lacquer, even when the lacquer is not visible. Based on this assumption the operator I machine ensure that the film and the tray flange are aligned in the correct positions.

[0073] It is envisaged that the dual application of the ink and the lacquer to the opposite sides of the PET film can be carried out in a single pass using either flexographic or rotogravure printing techniques.

[0074] However, as this would require the addition of a separate printing ‘unit’ to apply the lacquer in the case of a flexographic printing press, it is appreciated that a second pass may be employed to apply the lacquer to the underside of the film when a standard flexographic printing press is used. By using the ink image printed on the upper surface of the film during the first printing pass as a reference, the lacquer applied during the second pass can be accurately positioned on the film.

[0075] Turning now to the second aspect of the present invention, Figures 3 and 4 show a preferred example of a mono-material plastic food packaging 10 that employs the two- coat approach.

[0076] The packaging 10 is once again comprised of a PET tray 11 with a PET film lid 14, which is preferably Biaxially oriented polyester terephthalate (BOPET). The tray 11 is once against comprised of a base with walls extended up therefrom to define a catchment area of a foodstuff. On the tray’s walls is provided a flange 12 that extends around the perimeter of a central opening 13. The flange 12 presents a contact surface onto which the PET film lid 14 can be bonded to form a sealed enclosure within the packaging that can accommodate foodstuffs, for example.

[0077] Unlike the PET film used in the packaging 1 produced in accordance with the ‘interference’ approach of the first aspect of the present invention, which has an entire surface coated with a suitable adhesive coating, the PET film used in the manufacture of packaging 10, which is preferably BOPET, is uncoated from the outset; hence the ‘two-coat’ approach.

[0078] As can be seen from Figure 3, the film lid 14 is provided with two different coating patterns 15 and 16, both of which align with the flange 12 of the tray 11 .

[0079] The first coating, which is a peelable coating 15, is preferably a co-polymer that contains polyester copolymers, acrylic copolymers, vinyl copolymers, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymers, ethylene methyl acrylate (EMA) copolymers, and blends thereof. The second coating is a polyester based weld seal coating 16.

[0080] The polyester weld seal coating used is preferably a co-polymer / co-polyester material because it reduces the crystallinity, and hence melting point, of the PET film and in so doing would likely introduce an amorphous content into the heat sealable coating. It is envisaged that other components may be blended into the coating for production or processing purposes.

[0081] The first coating 15 serves to define the peelable region 17 of the lid and the second coating 16 serves to define the non-peelable region 18 of the lid. It is envisaged that, whilst a wide variety of coatings can be mixed and matched, it is essential that the bond formed between the lid and the tray by the first coating is weaker than that formed between the lid and the tray by the second coating.

[0082] Together, the first coating 15 and the second coating 16 align with and encircle the entire flange 12 of the tray 11 so as to ensure the contents of the tray are entirely sealed in by the lid 14.

[0083] In the shown example, the peelable coating 15 makes one of the short edges and the majority of the two longer edges of the tray 11 . This arrangement ensures that the lid can be peeled back to reveal a large proportion of the tray opening 13, whilst still maintaining significant surface contact between the lid 14 and the flange 12.

[0084] Once again, it is envisaged that the exact balance of the first and second coating can be varied to suit the size and shape of the packaging and its contents.

[0085] With regard to Figure 4, it will be appreciated that the first coating 15 and the second coating 16 are applied to the underside of the otherwise uncoated PET film 19 using existing techniques. After the coatings have been applied, the PET film is brought into alignment with the tray 11 . Once the coated region of the film is aligned with the flange 12 of the tray 11 , heat is applied to bond the PET film to the tray and seal the contents (not shown) within the packaging 10.

[0086] Again, it will be appreciated by the skilled person that Figure 4 does not show all of the stages of the food packaging manufacture process. However, the skilled person will be aware of how the steps of applying the peelable and non-peelable coatings to the PET film could be incorporated into existing manufacturing lines without unduly disrupting the manufacturing pathway of the packaging.

[0087] Once again, it will be appreciated that flexographic and rotogravure printing techniques can be used to apply both coatings 15 and 16. In addition, and as with the ‘interference’ approach, the manufacturing process may also include a printing step in which markings (e.g., text, images) may be printed onto the upper side of the film lid 14.

[0088] For the reasons already explained it is considered highly preferable that such markings are printed in register with the pattern of the first and second coating 15,16 as both coating are again generally clear and therefore not visible.

Claims

Claims1. A method of manufacturing an article of food packaging, said method comprising: providing a polyester terephthalate (PET) receptacle having an opening bordered by a seal flange; heat sealing a polyester terephthalate (PET) film lid to the seal flange so as to cover the opening of the receptacle; and wherein the seal formed between the seal flange of the receptacle and the film lid comprises a peelable region and a non-peelable region such that the film lid can be peeled away from the seal flange to reveal the receptacle opening whilst ensuring that the film lid remains bonded to the receptacle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the film lid is weld seal PET film and the peelable region of the seal is provided by applying a coating of an interference lacquer on the weld seal PET film that aligns with the seal flange when the film lid is bonded to the receptacle and reduces the strength of the bond formed between the film lid and the receptacle.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the interference lacquer is a co-polymer selected from a group that contains: polyester copolymers, acrylic copolymers, vinyl copolymers, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymers, ethylene methyl acrylate (EMA) copolymers, and blends thereof.

4. The method of claim 2 or 3, wherein the coat weight of the interference lacquer is between 0.5 and 10 grams per square metre, and preferably between 2 and 4 grams per square metre.

5. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the non-peelable region makes up at least 25% of the seal formed between the seal flange of the receptacle and the film lid.

6. The method of any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the film lid is provided with a printed design on the opposite side thereof to the interference lacquer such that the printed design is in register with the interference lacquer.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein a weld seal coating is applied to the film lid to define the non-peelable region of the seal and a peelable coating is applied to the film lid to define the peelable region of the seal, whereby both the weld seal coating and the peelable coating are applied so as to align with the seal flange when the film lid is bonded to the receptacle.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the weld seal coating is polyester-based.

9. The method of claim 7 or 8, wherein the peelable coating is a co-polymer selected from a group that contains: polyester copolymers, acrylic copolymers, vinyl copolymers, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymers, ethylene methyl acrylate (EMA) copolymers, and blends thereof.

10. An article of food packaging, said article comprising: a polyester terephthalate (PET) receptacle having an opening bordered by a seal flange; and a polyester terephthalate (PET) film lid heat sealed to the seal flange so as to cover the opening of the receptacle; and wherein seal between the seal flange of the receptacle and the film lid comprises a peelable region and a non-peelable region such that the film lid can be peeled away from the seal flange to reveal the receptacle opening whilst ensuring that the film lid remains bonded to the receptacle.11 . The food packaging of claim 10, wherein the film lid is weld seal PET film and the peelable region of the seal is defined by an interference lacquer that aligns with the seal flange when the film lid is bonded to the receptacle and reduces the strength of the bond formed between the film lid and the receptacle.

12. The food packaging of claim 10, wherein the non-peelable region of the seal is defined by a polyester-based weld seal coating and the peelable region of the seal is defined by a peelable coating.

13. The food packaging of claim 12, wherein the peelable coating is a co-polymer selected from a group that contains: polyester copolymers, acrylic copolymers, vinyl copolymers, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymers, ethylene methyl acrylate (EMA) copolymers, and blends thereof.

14. The food packaging of any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the seal flange comprises a plurality of straight edges and the non-peelable region comprises at least one of said straight edges.

15. The food packaging of any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein the non-peelable region makes up at least 25% of the seal formed between the seal flange of the receptacle and the film lid.