Nestlé has transitioned the packaging across the full range of its Smarties products to 100 per cent recyclable paper worldwide.
In a media statement, the brand said: “Smarties is the first global confectionery brand to switch to recyclable paper packaging, removing approximately 250 million plastic packs sold globally every year.”
Alexander von Maillot, Global Head of Confectionery at Nestlé, said that transitioning Smarties to recyclable paper packaging is just one step towards Nestlé’s goal of recyclable or reusable packaging across its full portfolio by 2025.
The new Smarties paper packaging is sourced sustainably and is made of a coated paper, paper labels or carton board. Information about how to properly dispose of Smarties paper packaging is also included on its labels to raise consumer awareness.
“Shifting Smarties packaging to recyclable paper is one of our key sustainable packaging initiatives in the confectionery category. It is a further step in realising Nestlé’s ambition to make all of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025 and to reduce its use of virgin plastics by one third in the same period.”
Louise Barrett, Head of the Nestlé Confectionery Product Technology Centre in York, said: “Developing safe and convenient paper-based solutions for Smarties has required the pioneering of new materials and testing by Nestlé packaging experts at our R&D Centre for confectionery in York, UK and the Swiss-based Institute of Packaging Sciences. We adapted our existing manufacturing lines to allow for the careful handling that is required for paper, while also ensuring recyclability across all new formats.”
Nestlé began introducing paper packaging in the UK last year with its Smarties sharing block. The transformation of the Smarties packaging is only one of the brand’s ‘SMART Initiatives’, which aim to support sustainability and enhance the overall product experience.