Nestlé is intensifying its actions to make 100% of its packaging recyclable or reusable and to reduce its use of virgin plastics by one-third by 2025. Already, 87% of Nestlé’s total packaging by weight and 66% of its total plastic packaging is recyclable or reusable.
Accordingly, the company has announced a series of initiatives including a $30 million investment to increase food-grade recycled plastics in the US, a refillable system for pet food in Chile, and first-of its-kind recyclable paper packaging for Maggibouillon cubes in France.
Véronique Cremades-Mathis, Global Head of Sustainable Packaging, Nestlé, said: “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.”
Additionally, 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.
The institute has around 50 scientists who conduct 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.