Nestlé continues its strides towards a waste-free future with significant progress in reducing packaging waste and enhancing waste management efforts. Over the past five years, since pledging commitment to the Global Commitment on plastic waste, Nestlé, along with other leading signatories, has surpassed market expectations in reducing virgin plastic usage and increasing recyclability, states the latest report from the Ellen Macarthur Foundation.
Antonia Wanner, Nestlé’s Head of ESG Strategy and Deployment, emphasized the company’s ongoing pursuit of impactful packaging solutions: “We are continually pursuing better packaging solutions… In addition, we promote better infrastructure systems for waste management, advocate for harmonized regulation, and encourage behavioral change.”
Nestlé has achieved a 10.5% reduction in virgin plastic packaging since 2018 and aims to further reduce it by one-third by 2025. Notable initiatives include the launch of Nescafé Dolce Gusto capsules with reduced plastic weight, saving over 2,500 tonnes of polypropylene.
In 2022 alone, the company cut its total product packaging weight by 200,000 tonnes, resulting in a decrease of 280,000 tonnes in greenhouse gas emissions and a reduction of 14 billion packaging pieces. Nestlé’s historic total packaging footprint dropped from 4.7 million metric tons in 2018 to 3.6 million metric tons in 2022.
Nestlé is actively exploring packaging alternatives through reuse and refill solutions, conducting over 20 pilots in 12 countries. For instance, in Germany, Nestlé collaborated with start-up Circolution to pilot reusable stainless-steel containers for Nesquik.
Simultaneously, Nestlé is increasing the use of recycled plastics, aiming for 30% recycled content in its packaging by 2025. Presently, 81.9% of Nestlé’s total plastic packaging is designed for recycling, with a target of over 95% by 2025.
Furthermore, Nestlé supports governmental initiatives to enhance waste management infrastructure and advocates for a Global Plastics Treaty. Through partnerships and programs like the door-to-door household waste collection in Malaysia, Nestlé is actively developing recycling schemes globally.
In addition to Nestlé’s efforts, innovative packaging changes from its brands like Gerber, Vital Proteins, and DiGiorno underscore the collective impact of small changes in packaging design, contributing significantly to the overall reduction of packaging waste.