Bayer and Liveo Research Launch First-of-its-Kind Blister Packaging

New One-Material Blister packaging reduces carbon footprint and impact on natural  resources at no additional cost to the consumer 

Basel, October 30, 2024 - Bayer has launched a first-of-its-kind in the healthcare  industry, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) blister packaging on its renowned brand,  Aleve. Realized in partnership with pharma packaging specialist Liveo Research, this  innovative solution reduces the carbon footprint of the packaging by 38%1 and  marks a stride in environmental stewardship by eliminating the use of polyvinyl  chloride (PVC) in their portfolio. Blister packaging, widely used in over-the-counter  products, has long posed a challenge for environmental sustainability due to its  multilayer composition of plastic and aluminum, which makes it hard to sort and  recycle. Launching first in the Netherlands, in the coming years, the company has  the ambition to replace all of its blister packaging with more sustainable  alternatives.  

With the launch of this new blister packaging, Bayer is: 

• Decreasing the per unit carbon footprint of this packaging by 38% • Reducing factors that contribute to biodiversity loss by using 78% less water  and 53% less land (per unit). 

• Lightweighting the package by 18% (per unit) compared with the current  packaging 

1 Per unit, in comparison to current packaging, based on third-party verified LCA.

The market launch is the result of many years of extensive preparation and  cooperation between the experts at Bayer and Liveo Research. 

“Our goal is to transform our packaging to deliver remarkable experiences to our  consumers while minimizing our environmental impact and ultimately creating  circular solutions,” said Chris Padain, Vice President and Global Head of Design,  Packaging, Product Experience & Sustainability for Bayer’s Consumer Health division.  “With its improved carbon footprint and decreased impact on water use and land,  we’re proud of this step forward in our journey towards environmental  sustainability.” 

“With the introduction of our PET One-Material Blister into Bayer’s Aleve product  range, we’ve proven that more sustainable blister packaging is possible on a large,  global scale. Waste and CO2 can already be saved today," says Dr. Carsten  Heldmann, CEO of Liveo Research. “As a specialized pharmaceutical packaging  company, we will continue to support this industry to deliver their sustainability  targets while complying with the strict regulatory requirements.” 

PET is a widely used recyclable plastic in other industries. While transitioning over the-counter medicine packaging from PVC to PET is a step forward in sustainable  packaging, change within the recycling industry is required to ensure innovations  

like this become part of the circular economy. Bayer is working across the industry  in partnership with the Global Self-Care Federation and the Blister Pack Collective,  and recently joined The Recycling Partnership, to accelerate progress and create  systemic change. This includes driving research on new ways to package non prescription medicines and design circular packaging solutions while maintaining  product efficacy, quality and safety as well as working with partners across the value  chain to innovate packaging solutions and improve recycling infrastructure. 

Bayer – An overview 

Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care  and nutrition. In line with its mission, “Health for all, Hunger for none,” the company’s  products and services are designed to help people and the planet thrive by supporting efforts  to master the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. Bayer  is committed to driving sustainable development and generating a positive impact with its  businesses. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value  through innovation and growth. The Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality  throughout the world. In fiscal 2023, the Group employed around 100,000 people and had  sales of 47.6 billion euros. R&D expenses before special items amounted to 5.8 billion euros. 

For more information, go to https://www.bayer.com. 

Liveo Research - An Overview

Founded in 1962, Liveo Research is a top global producer of materials for primary packaging  in the pharmaceutical and medical industry, as well as special applications such as shrink  sleeve labels. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, it has production sites in Boetzingen and  Staufen (Germany), Delaware (USA), Singapore, and Taicang (China). Liveo Research currently  has approximately 1,000 employees worldwide. In addition to a broad product portfolio of  packaging materials, the company also offers its customers value-added services like  “LiveoOptima” that support them to find the best, sustainable packaging solutions.  

For further details, please visit: https://www.liveoresearch.com