The milkman is no longer coming
Packaging 5 A broken glass milk bottle marks the beginning of an unprecedented history of packaging for the nutritious drink. Thanks to Migros in particular, milk can now be found on the shelves in a wide variety of packaging forms.
Packaging 5 A broken glass milk bottle marks the beginning of an unprecedented history of packaging for the nutritious drink. Thanks to Migros in particular, milk can now be found on the shelves in a wide variety of packaging forms.
When Swiss consumers buy milk, they are spoiled for choice when it comes to packaging: Tetra Brik, Top (with screw cap), tubular bag or PE bottle - no other staple food enjoys such a variety of presentations.
What Swiss consumers take for granted today met with stiff resistance around 40 years ago, mostly from farmers. It was thanks to the major distributor Migros, among other suppliers, that light-protected packaged milk was introduced in self-service stores. Pierre Arnold, former Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Federation of Migros Cooperatives, was one of the visionaries who championed the spread of "paper milk" in 1958, despite opposition from the milk lobby. This had been introduced to the Swiss market by the Swedish manufacturer Tetra Pak in the mid-fifties. It was not until 1962 that the retailer was allowed to include the first tetrahedron-shaped milk cartons in its range. Tetra Brik followed in the 1970s, and around 20 years later the tubular bag. In the mid-nineties, Tetra Top was added to the range, and milk has been available in PE bottles for two years now.
The first patent for a carton milk carton was acquired in 1915 by the American toy manufacturer John Van Wormer. If the anecdote is to be believed, his invention was based on the tiresome acquaintance of a glass milk bottle with the force of gravity. One of the difficulties with the packaged milk was getting consumers excited about the innovation. On the other hand, antiseptic filling of the milk placed the highest demands on the technology. From the point of view of food hygiene, the main problem is the aseptic filling of the packaging, as Roger Stephan, Head of the Institute for Food Safety and Hygiene at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Zurich, confirms. In addition, the packaging must be designed in such a way that the milk's ingredients are not affected during storage.
Here and there a cheer is heardWith the free sale of packaged milk, a long-standing tradition also came to an abrupt end: "The milkman is no longer coming" was the headline of an advertisement for paper milk from the late 1950s. However, the term "milk box" for the large compartment under the letterbox has survived to this day - as have a handful of milkmen: the Basel and Surrounding Area Milk Traders' Association still relies on the traditional distribution network, whose farmer representatives often announce their arrival to the housewives with a proud whoop.
In the beginning was the tetrahedron: a brief history of milk packaging.
When Swiss consumers buy milk, they are spoiled for choice when it comes to packaging: Tetra Brik, Top (with screw cap), tubular bag or PE bottle - no other staple food enjoys such a variety of presentations.
What Swiss consumers take for granted today met with stiff resistance around 40 years ago, mostly from farmers. It was thanks to the major distributor Migros, among other suppliers, that light-protected packaged milk was introduced in self-service stores. Pierre Arnold, former Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Federation of Migros Cooperatives, was one of the visionaries who championed the spread of "paper milk" in 1958, despite opposition from the milk lobby. This had been introduced to the Swiss market by the Swedish manufacturer Tetra Pak in the mid-fifties. It was not until 1962 that the retailer was allowed to include the first tetrahedron-shaped milk cartons in its range. Tetra Brik followed in the 1970s, and around 20 years later the tubular bag. In the mid-nineties, Tetra Top was added to the range, and milk has been available in PE bottles for two years now.
The first patent for a carton milk carton was acquired in 1915 by the American toy manufacturer John Van Wormer. If the anecdote is to be believed, his invention was based on the tiresome acquaintance of a glass milk bottle with the force of gravity. One of the difficulties with the packaged milk was getting consumers excited about the innovation. On the other hand, antiseptic filling of the milk placed the highest demands on the technology. From the point of view of food hygiene, the main problem is the aseptic filling of the packaging, as Roger Stephan, Head of the Institute for Food Safety and Hygiene at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Zurich, confirms. In addition, the packaging must be designed in such a way that the milk's ingredients are not affected during storage.
Here and there a cheer is heardWith the free sale of packaged milk, a long-standing tradition also came to an abrupt end: "The milkman is no longer coming" was the headline of an advertisement for paper milk from the late 1950s. However, the term "milk box" for the large compartment under the letterbox has survived to this day - as have a handful of milkmen: the Basel and Surrounding Area Milk Traders' Association still relies on the traditional distribution network, whose farmer representatives often announce their arrival to the housewives with a proud whoop.
In the beginning was the tetrahedron: a brief history of milk packaging.
Simone Keller
