A PACKAGING firm has opened a £1m development as it seeks to support changing attitudes across the food sector.

The PFF Packaging Group says its Innovation Centre will focus on next generation containers.

The expansion comes as PFF seeks to help reduce the UK’s waste food mountain.

Every year, millions of tonnes of food thrown are thrown away and the Government previously unveiled a bill to encourage supermarkets, manufacturers and distributors to cut waste by at least 30 per cent over the next ten years.

PFF, which runs a manufacturing plant in Washington, Wearside, says its Innovation Centre will allow designers to create new blueprints for packaging.

Officials added it will offer a same day service, as opposed to the industry average of six weeks.

PFF works with a number of companies, with previous customers including supermarkets and ready meal makers.

It also supplies packaging for meat and fish and bakery goods.

The centre was opened by group managing director, Andy Bairstow, who said the base, on Washington’s Stephenson Industrial Estate, would give greater security to its North-East workforce, which stands at more than 100 people.

Mr Bairstow said: “The Innovation Centre is turning what is traditionally a long and sometimes complex process completely on its head.

“As well as freeing up precious time for individuals who may have previously been involved in long creative processes, this fast response service will also help food manufacturers get their products into store much more quickly than ever before.

“It’s a major advance for us and our customers, the packaging industry in general and for business in the North-East.”

PFF was founded in 1993.

Alongside its Washington bases, the company’s head office operates out of Keighley, in West Yorkshire, where it also has a 100,000sq ft manufacturing site.