LAUSANNE, Switzerland — Tetra Pak and Spanish beverage producer García Carrión said Wednesday they have launched what they describe as the world’s first aseptic juice portion pack using a paper-based barrier, debuting in Spain under the Don Simón brand. The companies said the Tetra Pak paper-based barrier replaces the traditional aluminum foil layer and, with plant-based polymers in the coatings, cuts the carton’s carbon footprint 43% compared with a conventional aseptic pack, as verified by the Carbon Trust, Dec. 10, 2025.
Tetra Pak paper-based barrier brings aseptic juice cartons closer to renewable materials
In its launch announcement, Tetra Pak said García Carrión is rolling out the Tetra Brik Aseptic 200-milliliter Slim Leaf carton with the new barrier under its Don Simón label. The company said the structure is made with up to 80% paper and reaches 92% renewable content when plant-based polymers are used in the packaging coatings.
FoodBev reported the carton is being introduced across multiple markets, and that García Carrión is tying the packaging change to a wider sustainability strategy.
In a statement, Don José García Carrión, president of García Carrión, said, “We are proud to lead the way in sustainable packaging for the juice category.” Tatiana Liceti, executive vice president for packaging solutions at Tetra Pak, called the launch “a significant step” toward fully renewable and recyclable packaging. García Carrión Vice President Fala Corujo said, “This innovation supports our mission to reduce environmental impact while offering high-quality products to our consumers.”
What the Tetra Pak paper-based barrier changes — and what it doesn’t
Aseptic cartons typically combine paperboard, polymer layers and an aluminum foil barrier that blocks oxygen and light. The Tetra Pak paper-based barrier swaps that foil for a renewable, paper-based alternative, while still relying on polymers for moisture protection and sealing.
Packaging World noted the shift doesn’t make aseptic cartons monomaterial, but it can remove one of the more difficult components for recyclers and improve fiber recovery where carton collection and sorting systems are established.
From a performance standpoint, Packaging Insights said the paper-based barrier is designed to protect against oxygen, light, moisture and bacteria, keeping food safety and shelf life comparable to conventional aseptic packs. The outlet also reported the cartons can be collected, sorted and recycled where infrastructure exists.
How the Carbon Trust verified the 43% claim
Tetra Pak said the 43% reduction is calculated “cradle-to-grave” using its Carton CO2 Calculator (model version 11, valid from 2025-01-01) and compares a Slim Leaf carton with a paper-based barrier and plant-based polymers against a carton using an aluminum foil layer and fossil-based polymers, using EU industry data. In an impact story about its work with Tetra Pak, the Carbon Trust said it has collaborated with the company since 2016 to verify product footprints and certify calculation methodologies, and it advises on communicating carbon-label claims to reduce greenwashing risk.
A development years in the making for the Tetra Pak paper-based barrier
The move into juice extends work that has been under development for years. In 2022, Packaging Digest reported Tetra Pak was trialing polymer-based and fiber-based alternatives to replace aluminum and planned additional commercial validation to prove performance across the value chain.
By late 2023, Packaging Dive reported early paper-based barrier versions could reduce a carton’s metal content to a fraction of typical levels, and that wider production was expected by 2025. DairyReporter later detailed the technical balancing act behind the shift: maintaining oxygen and light protection and shelf life while changing barrier and sealing structures.
For beverage producers, the next test is scale: whether the Tetra Pak paper-based barrier can expand across sizes and categories while delivering the promised carbon and recycling gains in real-world collection systems.
