Mondelēz International has announced that it is replacing its rigid PET plastic trays with FSC-certified paper trays across more than 115 cookie products in its European biscuits portfolio, a move that will save around 2,200 tonnes of virgin plastic each year.
The snacking giant is implementing the change across eight of its key brands – LU, Milka, Granola, Cadbury, Marabou, Chips Ahoy!, Lacta and Freia – which are available in more than 25 European markets.
For example, in the UK, the new paper trays will be rolled out across the Cadbury Crunchy Melts, Cadbury Chocolate Chip Cookie and LU Petit Cookie ranges.
“This is a transformation we are proud to have engineered from the ground up,” commented Olivier Kintzig, biscuits packaging director, Europe, Mondelēz International. “Replacing rigid plastic with paper across 115 products, eight brands and 25 European markets in a matter of months required rethinking every layer of our packaging – from tray design to logistics. […] As packaging professionals, this is exactly the kind of bold, systemic change we exist to deliver.”
‘Largest packaging initiative’
Mondelēz described the move as the ‘largest single packaging sustainability initiative ever undertaken in the company’s European bakery category’, with the products covered by the change accounting for around 28,000 tonnes of cookies produced each year.
It added that the transition represents an approximately 80% reduction in the plastic used in its cookies packaging. It forms part of the company’s wider goal of reducing its use of virgin rigid plastic by 25% globally by the end of the decade, compared to a 2020 baseline.
‘Major milestone’
“Introducing paper trays to over 115 cookie products is a major milestone for Mondelez International and our global packaging sustainability progress,” added Joanna Dias, UK&I sustainability lead, Mondelez International.
“In the UK&I, we’ve delivered a variety of recent sustainable packaging innovation for products such as Cadbury Heroes, Cadbury Mini Eggs, and Cadbury Dairy Milk, and the introduction of paper trays for our cookies is further success on our journey towards bringing consumers products they love in more sustainable packaging.” Read more here.
