Where BPA comes from
Bisphenol A, usually shortened to BPA, is a chemical building block. In food contact it is associated mainly with polycarbonate, a hard clear plastic once common in reusable bottles and storage, and with some epoxy coatings used inside cans. It is not a building block of the plastics that make up most food container programs. PP is an olefin polymer made from propylene. PET is a polyester made from different monomers. Neither is made from BPA.
That matters for how buyers read the claim. A BPA-free label on a PP takeout box is true in the same way as a label saying the box contains no glass. It is not wrong, but on its own it says almost nothing about the container, and it can suggest to end users that ordinary PP boxes without the label contain BPA.
The claim by material
| Material | Typical items | BPA as a building block | What the claim adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| PP (code 5) | Takeout boxes, soup cups, bowls, lids | No | Little; better to name PP and its declaration |
| PET (code 1) | Clear clamshells, fruit boxes, cold cups | No | Little; name PET and its cold use |
| Copolyester | Reusable storage, vacuum container bodies | Depends on the grade | Relevant; needs a supplier statement for the grade |
| Polycarbonate (code 7) | Older reusable storage | Yes | Not used for food storage in this range |
| PS (code 6) | Clear organizers, some cold lids | No | Little |
| Inks and coatings | Printed sleeves, can-type coatings | Depends on the system | Relevant for coated or printed parts |
Copolyester is the case where the claim carries real information. Reusable storage and some vacuum container bodies are made from clear copolyester grades chosen for toughness and clarity, and buyers reasonably want to know which bisphenols, if any, are involved in the grade. A public listing for a 1.4 L square vacuum container at 233x156x90 mm describes the body as copolyester; for a program, the partner plant names the exact grade and the resin producer's statement. See vacuum food containers and copolyester containers.
Why BPA-free alone is a weak claim
There are three problems with a bare BPA-free claim. First, as above, it is often a statement about something that was never there. Second, it says nothing about other bisphenols. A material free of BPA may still involve related substances, and rules in several markets are moving from BPA alone towards the wider bisphenol group. Third, it says nothing about the rest of the food contact file: the migration results, the conditions of use, the lid. A box can be accurately described as BPA-free and still lack a declaration for the market where it is sold.
Regulators and retailers are increasingly attentive to claims that imply a product is better than it is. The FTC Green Guides in 16 CFR 260 address environmental claims rather than chemical ones, but the same principle applies to all marketing claims: they need evidence, and they should not imply a general benefit the evidence does not support. Confirm the current rules on bisphenols and on claims for your market with your test lab or counsel.
A better way to word it
The stronger approach is to describe what the container is and what was tested. For a PP box, that might be: made with food contact grade PP per supplier declaration; tested to EU 10/2011 per report; microwave use per supplier marking, lid removed where marked. For a copolyester storage container: body in copolyester, grade per supplier statement; supplier statement confirms the grade is not made with BPA; lid in PP; seal in silicone. Each phrase points to a document the buyer holds.
- Name the material of each part: base, lid, seal, valve.
- Tie any free-from statement to a written supplier statement for the specific grade.
- Avoid absolute words; say what was tested and under which rule.
- Do not imply that ordinary PP or PET containers contain BPA.
What to ask the partner plant for
- The resin grade of each food contact part, with the resin producer's declaration.
- For copolyester or any grade where it is relevant, a written statement on bisphenols in the grade.
- The article declaration of compliance for the market, with conditions of use.
- Migration test reports covering the finished item; see migration testing explained.
- Written notice before any change of resin grade or supplier.
Statements are issued to partner plants or to your brand per project. Lidwell does not hold certificates and checks each statement against the item. The declaration guide covers the main document.
An illustrative case
An illustrative, anonymous example shows how the claim goes wrong. A DTC brand launching a meal prep set asked for BPA-free to be embossed on every lid. The set used a PP base, a PP lid and a silicone seal, and the brand had a resin declaration for the PP but no article declaration and no migration report for the finished set. The desk proposed a different order of work: first the article declaration for the US and EU markets with conditions of use covering freezer and microwave reheating, then a migration test on the finished base and lid in the black colour actually ordered, and only then the packaging copy. The embossed claim was dropped in favour of the PP resin code and a microwave marking per the supplier, and the sleeve carried the material of each part. The brand ended up with fewer words on the lid and a file it could hand to any retailer.
Listings and packaging
Marketplace sellers face the most pressure to use the claim, because many competing listings carry it. If it is used, it should sit next to the material name, not replace it, and the seller should hold the supplier statement that supports it. A listing that reads PP base and lid, resin code 5, made with food contact grade PP per supplier declaration, gives a buyer more than a badge does, and answers the question a retailer's compliance team will ask. The listing content note sets out a full template.
To brief a storage or takeout program with the claim wording agreed up front, use the quote form.