Home NEWSBusiness Nestlé Intensifies Efforts To 100% Recyclable, Reusable Packaging

Nestlé Intensifies Efforts To 100% Recyclable, Reusable Packaging

by Atlantic Chronicles

Nestlé has unveiled new actions and progress in shaping a waste-free future. The Company is engaged in a giant project, aimed at revolutionising the packaging of its projects, by making it 100 percent recyclable or reusable by the year 2025.

In its press statement, Nestlé stated that it is also aiming to reduce its use of virgin plastics by one-third in the same period.

On September 7, Nestlé announced a series of new initiatives that include a USD 30 million investment to increase foodgrade recycled plastics in the US, a refillable system for pet food in Chile and first-of-its-kind recyclable paper packaging for Maggi bouillon cubes in France.

On how far it has gone in its packaging initiative, the company reported that so far, 87 percent of Nestlé’s packaging is already recyclable or reusable. 

Nestlé’s Global Head of Sustainable Packaging, Véronique Cremades-Mathis said, “We have made strides in our transformative journey towards a waste-free future, but we know that we have more work to do. As the world’s largest food and beverage company, we’re committed to putting our size and scale to work to tackle the packaging waste problem everywhere that we operate.”

Concerning the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the company stated that its commitment to sustainable packaging remains the same.

Nestlé seeks to play a leading role in helping solve the issue of plastic pollution through its three-pillar approach launched in January 2019. The three-pillar approach involves first, the developing new packaging, which entails transitioning to paper packaging across various formats.

The second pillar is shaping a waste-free future. Here the company collects and its plastic and other wastes, which are then recycled, to prevent them from flowing into landfills and oceans.  The initiative is also aimed at ensuring sustainable waste management.

The third pillar of Nestlé’s revolutionary initiative, is driving new behaviour. Through this, Nestlé is rolling out a sustainable packaging education and training program for over 290’000 employees, to accelerate behaviour change and help the company meet its packaging objectives. 

To succeed in its behavioural change initiative, the company has launched several initiatives aimed at changing behaviours, especially of consumers, so that they can be aware and conscious so that they use the recycling and other environment-friendly initiatives put at their disposal.  School programmes have also been launched to drive the campaign of behavioural change campaign.

On similar innovative projects, the company announced that it is seeking to identify and support innovative solutions through the Nestlé Creating Shared Value (CSV) Prize, to be launched on September 30. In partnership with Ashoka, the Nestlé CSV Prize will award CHF 250 000 in grants for system change innovations in areas such as alternative delivery systems and ground-up solutions to tackle plastic waste.

In a press statement, the company stated that “the development and testing of new, more environmentally friendly packaging materials is driven by the Nestlé Institute of Packaging Sciences, the food industry’s first such enterprise”. Nestlé stated that its institute has over 50 scientists conducting cutting-edge packaging research to ensure the safety and applicability of new materials. “Research outcomes include new refillable or reusable systems, simplified materials, high-performance barrier papers and the introduction of more recycled content to Nestlé’s packaging. The institute collaborates closely with more than 180 packaging experts embedded in Nestlé’s global R&D network, as well as with research institutions, start-ups, and suppliers. Nestlé will continue to introduce alternative packaging materials and new delivery systems, invest in infrastructure and work with consumers to help solve the packaging waste challenge.” The release stated.

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