Page 32 - Packaging News magazine July-August 2022

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SNACK & CONVENIENCE PACKAGING | www.packagingnews.com.au | July – August 2022
KitKat first to market in 30% recycled soft plastic
In a global and Australian first, Nestlé is rolling out the first commercial scale recycled content soft plastic wrapper in Australia, with 45g KitKat bars to be packaged in 30 per cent recycled content wrappers supplied by Huhtamaki.
THE shift to new packaging is in line with Nestlé’s mission to cut its virgin plastics use by a third by 2025. More than 40 million 45g KitKat bars will be packed in the 30% recycled content wrapper in the next year in Australia, cut- ting virgin plastic use by around
250,000m2.
Introducing this wrapper is a big
step forward, given the scarcity of food-grade soft plastic with recycled content. With no local source of the recycled content material for this wrapper yet, Nestlé has turned to global sources.
Nestlé Oceania general manager Chris O’Donnell said Nestle had been “search- ing high and low” to find as much of this material as it could from suppliers. He said as more becomes available Nestlé is hoping to increase the amount it can source for its packaging.
O’Donnell said, “Introducing recy- cled content in our packaging will make a significant impact against our 2025 ambition. We’ve implemented a number of changes to reduce our use of virgin plastic but this switch, the first of its kind, will be a huge step change.
“We know consumers want our packaging to use more recycled con- tent, so we’re delighted to deliver the KitKat 45g bar as Australia’s first food product to be wrapped in soft plastic made with recycled content.
“For KitKat fans, the news is all good. The 30% recycled plastic wrap- per will keep KitKat bars crisp, fresh
and delicious, while we
focus on giving the planet
a break. When they’re finished, they can continue to recycle their wrappers through the REDcycle scheme.”
O’Donnell said the company is focusing on less packaging, better packaging and better systems.
“This is a big step in the right direction but we’re not at our end desti- nation yet. This is a journey of ongoing innovation,” he said.
Globally, Nestlé has
committed to invest CHF 2 billion
to stimulate the market and lead the shift from virgin plastics to food grade recycled plastics.
The 30% food grade recycled plastic wrapper is supplied by Huhtamaki. The recycled content has been allocated using the mass balance approach and certified by ISCC.
Nestlé Oceania CEO Sandra Martinez described the announce- ment as “the most exciting progress to date”, noting that the KitKat wrapper has been a leader in packaging inno- vation in Australia.
In 2020, the company temporar- ily changed its logo on its four-finger milk chocolate bar packs to promote soft plastics recycling in a campaign called ‘Give the Planet a Break’.
The limited-edition bars featured a KitKat-inspired recycling symbol and an explicit call to drop off soft plastic
ABOVE: Breakthrough: The wrapper is also Nestlé’s first soft plastic food wrapper globally to use recycled content.
wrappers at REDcycle collection bins, which in turn will allow them a sec- ond life to be repurposed as benches and fences.
Then, in 2021, it created a KitKat prototype wrapper with recycled content created from soft plastics col- lected and processed in Australia, in a collaborative effort between Nestle, CurbCycle, iQ Renew, Licella, Viva Energy Australia, LyondellBasell, REDcycle, Taghleef Industries and Amcor, which went on to win a Gold in the PIDA 2022 awards for Sustainable Packaging Design – Closed Loop Collection (see page 25).
“This announcement cements another Australian first. I’m so proud of the vision of my team and their pas- sion to make a difference. There’s still more to do. So while we’re helping to give the planet a break – we’re not tak- ing a break!” Martinez said. ■
This is a big step in the right direction but we’re not at our end destination yet. This is a journey of ongoing innovation.”
— Chris O’Donnell, GM Nestle Oceania