Page 44 - Packaging News May-June 2021

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FOOD PACKAGING www.packagingnews.com.au | May-June 2021
Nestlé Oceania has switched to recyclable paper packaging supplied by Amcor for its Smarties confectionery range in Australia, upgrading its manufacturing lines to accommodate the material change.
Smarties paper switch
HILE some Smarties packs sold in the country are already in paper, the change introduced by Nestlé in April sees all plastic packaging replaced with new recyclable paper packaging.
According to Amcor, the new pack- aging is made from sustainably sourced thermoformable paper and is dynamic enough to be printed on with either flexographic or gravure technology and finished with a heat or cold-seal adhesive.
The new packaging technology, with its various applications, is used across the Smarties product range. It is fully recyclable and can be dis- posed of in Australian paper recy- cling bins.
Working closely with Nestlé, Amcor says it has leveraged its global R&D resources to develop this next generation packaging solution which performs when it comes to sustain- ability and consumer convenience, while also maintaining the highest levels of product protection.
Simon Roy, vice president and gen- eral manager, Amcor Flexibles Australia & New Zealand commented,
“This packaging is a great example of Amcor’s innovative and collaborative way of thinking to help our customers meet end-consumer needs. It also reaf- firms our commitment to ensuring all our packaging is designed to be recy- clable or reusable by 2025.”
The change is part of a global move for Nestlé, making Smarties the first global confectionery brand entirely sold in recyclable paper packaging, removing approximately 250 million plastic packs sold globally every year.
The paper used across the range is all sourced sustainably, including coated paper, paper labels, and cartonboard. The Australasian Recycling Label is also included on all packs to raise con- sumer awareness and to ensure the packs are recycled properly.
“Shifting Smarties packaging to recyclable paper is an important step in realising Nestlé’s ambition to reduce our use of virgin plastic by a third by 2025,” said Chris O’Donnell, Nestlé’s general manager confectionery.
“Developing safe and convenient paper-based solutions for Smarties has required pioneering new materi- als and testing by Nestlé packaging experts at both our Confectionery
ABOVE: The new Smarties paper-based packaging is fully recyclable.
The paper packaging requires careful handling, so we needed to adapt our manufacturing lines to allow for the new formats.” — Chris O’Donnell, Nestlé’ GM confectionery
R&D Centre in the UK and the Nestlé Institute of Packaging Sciences in Switzerland.
“We also had to invest in upgrad- ing all the factories that make Smarties. The paper packaging requires careful handling, so we needed to adapt our manufacturing lines to allow for the new formats.”
The Nestlé factory at Campbellfield in Melbourne upgraded its manufac- turing process to shift to paper packaging, investing in new produc- tion equipment, including a new wrapper machine. ■