The biggest soup maker in the world is cooking something different for its packaging. Campbell Soup Company announces that it has already begun to use BPA-free cans for its products and hopes to complete the transition by middle of 2017.
BPA is an organic synthetic compound that is commonly used as an epoxy resin to line the inside of pipes and food cans like those of Campbell. It can also be used as a component in making plastic durable but still clear.
Although the material has already been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as safe to use for food packaging, consumers and lawmakers are still anxious about it.
Thus, acting on the feedback of its customers and as commitment to transparency, the company's cans are now lined with acrylic or polyester, which has been determined to be not only safe and approved by regulators but also cost effective and viable. The same material is used for its packaging for gravies, SpaghettiOs pasta, and Swanson broth.
The decision, which began in 2012, wasn't easy as the company encountered many "fits and starts," said Mark Alexander, president of Americas Simple Meals and Beverages.
One of its biggest challenges is its tomato-based recipes since "tomatoes are naturally acidic and can react with can linings over time," added Alexander.
The team also needs to deal with the possible huge costs that came with the transition without passing them on to buyers.
Fortunately, even though the amount is significant, it may not be "material" to the company's total earnings, which is now worth more than $7 billion.
The company ships about 2 billion cans annually — a huge undertaking now that it's transitioning. The shift will begin in the United States and Canada and will be done in stages starting with 2 million BPA-free cans of classic chicken noodle in March 2016 and 10 million more in April. This process will continue until all Campbell soup cans on shelves are BPA-free. The company estimates that at least 75 percent of its plan will be completed by end of 2016.
In the meantime, customers can track the transition in a website called whatsinmyfood.com, which also includes the company's stand on GMO labeling.
Photo: Bowy Gavid Bowie Chan | Flickr
