Appvion Launches First Thermal Receipt Paper Made Using Vitamin C in Time for the 2014 Holiday Shopping Season

Just in time for the 2014 holiday shopping rush, a new receipt paper from Appvion, Inc., made with vitamin C instead of phenols like bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol S (BPS), is available to stores nationwide. Now shoppers can focus on finding that perfect gift instead of worrying about phenols in receipts they might receive.

“Appvion understands that some consumers care about what’s in their receipt paper, not just what is printed on it. In response to demand for a more natural receipt paper, we now offer Alpha^® Free, which is manufactured using vitamin C and meets the needs for people who are concerned about phenols like BPA,” said Dave Pauly, product manager for thermal receipt paper at Appvion.

Appvion’s new Alpha Free receipt paper is the first to use vitamin C in place of traditional phenol-based thermal developers like BPA, BPS or controversial phenol substitutes. Vitamin C serves as an image developer in this new thermal chemistry.

“Appvion’s Alpha Free is really a testament to our shared vision of accelerating applied innovation. We are always looking at ways to develop new solutions that address customers’ unmet needs,” Pauly said.

Appvion recently began rolling out Alpha Free to retailers, and it can now be found in select stores around the country. Seattle-based PCC Natural Markets is the first large-scale grocer to offer Alpha Free receipts in all of its stores.

“Cashiers have to handle receipts to complete retail transactions. Until recently, they had no way to know what kind of receipt papers they were handling. So the yellow color of Alpha Free is a huge step forward in being able to see a difference,” said Nancy Taylor, human resources director, PCC Natural Markets. “We’ve received very positive responses from our cashiers and customers, as well.”

“Vitamin C is well-known, well-studied and used daily as a nutritional supplement by millions of Americans,” Pauly said. “Our research identified strong consumer preference for vitamin C over other options we considered. Vitamin C also produces a natural yellow color on receipt paper, which makes it easy to identify. Given those benefits, we focused our development efforts on a vitamin C formulation that fulfills customers’ preferences for a phenol-free product without compromising product reliability or performance.”

Whether stocking up on groceries for holiday entertaining or tackling an extended gift list, consumers can easily spot Alpha Free by its color and know it’s the receipt paper made with vitamin C.

About Appvion
Appvion creates product solutions through its development and use of coating formulations, coating applications and Encapsys^® microencapsulation technology. The company produces thermal, carbonless, security, colored bond, inkjet, digital specialty and Encapsys products. Appvion, headquartered in Appleton, Wisconsin, has manufacturing operations in Wisconsin, Ohio and Pennsylvania, employs approximately 1,700 people and is 100 percent employee-owned. For more information, visit www.appvion.com.

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