Global confectioner says ‘sayonara’ to plastic across its range.

Nestlé the worlds largest food and drink manufacturer, has taken a vow to phase out all non-recyclable plastics from its brands worldwide by 2025. In the UK, its focus will be on recycling and increasing recycled PET content. This means that those colourful lids from Smartie tubes will be ‘no more’ and, its water bottles will be widely recyclable.

Standard-sized tubes of Smarties went plastic-free in 2005. That’s when we stopped being able to collect the coloured tops to make words out of the inner letters. However, the company has confirmed it is in the process of eliminating plastic from giant tube caps, multipacks, mini bags and some seasonal items. It will run trials on new materials – such as paper-based and biodegradable/compostable substitutes – later this year.

Nestle water bottles to get enviro treatment too.

In the UK, Nestlé has committed to increasing recycled PET content in bottles for its Buxton and Acqua Panna water brands to 50% by 2025. But, in countries such as Indonesia, the company has announced it is developing a biodegradable plastic bottle. International countries with poor recycling facilities could have a biodegradable bottle on the market within 18-36 months.

Bottles of Nestle Buxton Mineral Water

In December, Nestlé announced the launch of an Institute of Packaging Sciences, based in Lausanne, Switzerland. Here it will evaluate and develop sustainable packaging materials in collaboration with industrial partners.

Next month, the firm will begin eliminating all plastic straws from its ready-to-drink products in international markets. The first pilot market will be the Dominican Republic, where it will carry out testing of paper straws for its Nesquik drink, followed closely by Brazil.

Nestlé has more than 2,000 brands in 191 countries.