Unilever has significantly increased its investment in packaging research and development (R&D) to accelerate its efforts in reducing virgin plastic use. The company has more than doubled its investment in materials science and technology in recent years, focusing on sustainable solutions to achieve its plastic reduction goals.
The Global Packaging R&D Centre, which houses a team of experts dedicated to sustainability, plays a central role in these efforts. “Our plastic progress is industry-leading, but we cannot be complacent,” said Pablo Costa, Global Head of Packaging. “That’s why we’re now taking materials science into our own hands to optimise what we can do in-house, while working end-to-end with our partners to bring these solutions to market.”
A key initiative is increasing the use of recycled plastic content in packaging. Unilever’s R&D team has tested 160 grades of recycled plastic to develop a digital tool that predicts packaging colour, reducing the need for physical prototypes and cutting development time by about 25%. This tool is part of the company’s broader strategy to incorporate post-consumer recycled (PCR) content while ensuring that packaging performs like virgin plastic.
Unilever is also working to make 100% of its flexible plastic packaging reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2035. Through its ‘Future Flexibles’ program, the company is developing recyclable and compostable materials for pouches and sachets. Despite progress, challenges remain, particularly with liquid product packaging. “Packaging liquid products like laundry detergent and shampoo in paper is one of the most technically complex challenges we’re tackling in R&D,” Costa explained.
Unilever is exploring emerging materials from various sectors, including pharmaceuticals and electronics, to find suitable alternatives to flexible plastic. “Switching to recyclable and compostable paper flexibles will require major industry transformation,” Costa said. “There are no quick fixes. But we’re already starting work to prepare our supply chain – and our consumers – for the transition.”
In addition to material innovation, Unilever is advocating for coordinated policy measures to address plastic pollution. Costa emphasizes that industry-wide collaboration is essential to scaling sustainable solutions. “Only by working together will we scale alternative materials, formats, and models to meet our goals,” he said.