Nestle has announced that its popular Smarties range of products will now use recyclable paper packaging moving forward, becoming the first global confectionery brand to make the sustainable switch.
The shift represents a transition of 90 per cent for the confectionery brand, given 10 per cent of the previous packaging was already recyclable, and is set to remove approximately 250 million plastic packs in circulation every year.
“Shifting Smarties packaging to recyclable paper is one of our key sustainable packaging initiatives in the confectionery category,” said Alexander von Maillot, global head of confectionery at Nestle.
“It is a further step in realising Nestle’s ambition to make all of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025 and to reduce its use of virgin plastics by one third in the same period.”
The new paper packaging is made from sustainably sourced coated paper, paper labels or carton board.
In addition, information about how to properly dispose of the paper packaging will be added on the labels to help raise consumer awareness.
“Developing safe and convenient paper-based solutions for Smarties has required the pioneering of new materials and testing by Nestle packaging experts at our R&D Centre for confectionery in York, UK, and the Swiss-based Institute of Packaging Sciences,” explained Louise Barrett, head of the Nestle confectionery product technology Centre.
“We adapted our existing manufacturing lines to allow for the careful handling that is required for paper, while also ensuring recyclability across all new formats.”
Nestle invested significantly to upgrade its factories globally, including one of its largest facility in Hamburg, Germany.
The packaging switch makes up one of Nestle’s SMART Initiatives, which aims to support sustainability and enhance the overall product experience.
