Nestlé will say goodbye to straws and some plastic bottles by 2025. But hopefully we’ll see a lot more out of the company soon.
You may know that Nestlé is the largest food packaging company in the world. What you may not know is that they are taking some unprecedented and brave steps to drastically cut back on their plastic footprint.
It look likes Nestlé could achieve $90 billion in 2018 revenues. Despite this companies sheer size they are committed to start eliminating plastic straws for their beverage products by as early as February.
The brand Nesquik will move completely from plastic packaging to paper. In addition they are also committed to making 100% of the packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025.
Nestlé have unveiled a institute of packaging sciences in order to make this a goal a reality. Based in Switzerland the institute was opened last December and will start work straight away on new packaging innovations that can be applied to their 2000 brand portfolio,
Did you know Nestlé even make dog chow?
As we have commented on before both changes in the public’s buying patterns and pressure from government is making the big multi national corporations re think their approach to the problem of waste and the solution of recycling.
The issue of plastic recycling itself is interesting because it is not at all feasible to do. Even if a significant amount of plastic recycling could be gathered in one place it is still not profitable for a private recycling company to do.
The solution needs to be a switch from plastic to other methods like foil packaging bags
Nestlé is currently reformulating the majority of plastics that it uses. Those that are considered hard to recycle or cannot be recycled at all will be phased out by the 2025 deadline they have set themselves.
In this group will be 7 different compounds found in their plastic barrier films, side gusset bags trays, lidding, printing inks, ice cream, cones and laminated paper cups.
The biggest challenge however will come from plastic bottles. This is billions of revenue for Nestlé. They run over 100 bottling plants in over 34 countries around the globe.
Its clear Nestlé needs to start thinking outside the box altogether on plastic packaging.
Bold Steps Towards Eliminating Single-Use Plastic
Nestlé is one of the world's largest food and beverage companies. It has taken a significant step forward in its commitment to combat plastic pollution and create a waste-free future. It envisions zero packaging waste ending up in landfills, lakes, rivers, lakes, and oceans. Nestlé is making substantial efforts to achieve this ambitious goal.
Recyclable Packaging
One of their primary commitments is to design all of their packaging for recyclability. By 2025, Nestlé aims for 95% or more of its packaging to be recyclable. In fact, a commendable 85.8% is already recyclable and/or reusable. 81.9% of its plastic wrapping and packaging can be recycled in specific facilities. However, Nestlé acknowledges there is still work to be done.
Reduce Virgin Plastics
Nestlé has also set a target to reduce its virgin plastics usage by one-third come 2025. As of the end of 2022, they had already reduced their usage by 10.5%. Packaging is crucial in ensuring the safe delivery of high-quality drinks and food products while reducing loss & waste. With this, the company carefully considers alternatives, such as glass, metal, or paper.
In their efforts to make a difference, Nestlé is actively participating in voluntary actions within their control. They also support and fund governments in infrastructure development for effective schemes on collection and recycling. They promote the expansion of reusable/refillable options wherever possible.
Substantial Investment
To further speed up progress, Nestlé announced a substantial investment in early 2020. It invested CHF 2 billion. This investment is geared towards two things. The first is the transition to food-grade plastics that are recycled, instead of virgin plastics. The second one is advancing innovative solutions in packaging. The company also opened the Packaging Sciences Institution to facilitate the development of safer and more sustainable packaging. It addresses the challenges of plastic waste.
Collaboration with Other Companies
Collaboration and collective action are important in achieving their goals. Thus, Nestlé is working closely with civil societies and industry associations. They want to explore and innovate packaging concepts that can help build eliminate or reduce waste. Nestle knows that implementing system-wide changes could take years to complete. But, they remain steadfast in their commitment.
Consumer Information
Improving recycling information for consumers is also a crucial aspect of Nestlé's initiatives. They label their packaging with information on recycling to ensure proper disposal. Nestlé is determined to explore every possible solution to solve the complex challenges of plastic waste. It embraces multiple strategies with an immediate and lasting impact.
In a world where single-use plastics are a problem, Nestlé's dedication is a testament to their leadership and commitment. The company wants to create a sustainable and waste-free future. Their actions serve as an inspiration for the food and beverage industry. They demonstrate that with determination and collective effort.
