Juice box

A juice box is a small, single-serving container typically made of laminated paperboard designed to hold fruit juice or other beverages. It is a common type of packaging for children's drinks due to its convenient size, straw, and perceived portability.

Juice boxes typically consist of multiple layers of materials including paperboard, polyethylene (plastic), and aluminum foil. The paperboard provides structure, the polyethylene creates a moisture barrier, and the aluminum foil helps to block light and oxygen, thus preserving the contents and extending shelf life without refrigeration until opened.

The invention and popularization of the juice box is often attributed to Tetra Pak, a Swedish packaging company, though variations existed prior. The design allows for efficient packing, transportation, and storage.

Concerns surrounding juice boxes include their environmental impact due to the difficulty of recycling the multi-layered materials. While some communities offer specialized recycling programs for aseptic packaging, it is not universally available, leading to a significant amount of juice boxes ending up in landfills. Furthermore, the high sugar content of many commercially available juice box beverages is a health concern.