Nestle, the Swiss-based manufacturer of many international food and drink brands, is planning to roll out new packaging solutions which eliminate plastics or use recycled plastics across a series of product ranges.
The company has pledged to phase out plastics in its packaging which are not recyclable or difficult to recycle between 2020 and 2025.
In one case, the company has been producing standard Smarties packs without the familiar plastic caps since 2005. Similar to M&Ms, Smarties are traditionally sold in cardboard tubes with sealed ends.
Nestle is now planning to remove the plastic caps on all Smarties packs, including giant tubes and multipacks. Trials on new materials, including paper-based alternatives, are due to start later this year.
Nestle Waters is also planning to increase the recycled PET content in its bottles. In the UK, brands such as Buxton will include up to 50% recycled content by 2025.
Commenting on company plans to reduce plastics packaging, Nestle CEO, Mark Schneider, said: “Our broader vision and action plan outline our commitment and specific approach to addressing the plastics packaging waste issue.”
In December last year, Nestle announced the creation of its Institute of Packaging Sciences to help advance the introduction of environmentally-friendly packaging solutions.
The global food manufacturer has also partnered with a series of companies to develop new packaging solutions. Danimer Scientific, based in Georgia (US), will help with development of a marine biodegradeable water bottle, while Ohio-based PureCycle Technologies is to collaborate on producing food-grade recycled polypropylene (PP).
Nestle is the world's largest manufacturer of food products, with more than 2,000 brands in 191 countries.