WattAgNet: Will Lego-like stackable plastic cartons help to sell more eggs?

Date: 2015-02-07
By Terrence O'Keefe
One year after introduction, eggplay plastic egg cartons are now used as retail egg packaging in 9 European countries.

The U.S. market for egg packaging is dominated by molded pulp and Styrofoam egg cartons. A European packaging firm, Eggs-Posure, has introduced eggplay, a branded polypropylene plastic retail egg carton, which is dishwasher safe and can be used as either a stackable children’s toy or be recycled. Egg-Posure, which is a joint venture between Dutch packaging company TWINPACK B.V. and Danish food manufacturer HEDEGAARD FOODS A/S, is betting that the colorful interlocking egg cartons will boost egg sales. As of February 2015, Eggs-Posure reports that egg packers in Denmark and Sweden, where eggplay was first introduced, have seen a 2 percent increase in egg sales.

The company reports that retailers in Poland, France, Denmark, Italy, Romania, Hungary, Sweden, the Netherlands and Greece are now stocking eggs in eggplay cartons. Eggs-Posure’s first production facility is in Sweden, and demand for the cartons has been great enough for this facility to be expanded and for another facility to be opened recently in Italy. The eggplay concept was launched at VIV Europe in May 2014.

Eggplay cartons hold eight eggs, a pack size typically not found at retail stores in the U.S., and they are now available in several colors. The eggplay cartons really aren’t just packaging masquerading as a toy; Eggplay is a CE-approved toy. CE approval means  eggplay meets all of the European toy safety directives.