Food and beverages giant Mondelēz has today announced that its Cadbury Dairy Milk range sold in the UK and Ireland will reportedly be made with packaging containing up to 30% recycled plastic.
According to the company, Cadbury will launch the new packaging innovation with more than 28 million sharing bars in 2022.
Mondelēz says that the new range is part of the company’s broader global commitment to a 5% reduction in the use of virgin plastic material in its overall plastic packaging portfolio by 2025, assuming constant portfolio mix.
According to Louise Stigant, UK managing director at Mondelēz International: “This next step in our journey to reduce our use of virgin plastic in our iconic Cadbury range is a really important one, which I am very proud of.
“We are committed to reducing waste and closing the loop on packaging – keeping valuable materials within the economy and out of the environment.
“Our increased use of recycled plastic will drive demand for this material and reduce our need to produce new, virgin plastic.”
Across its food portfolio, Mondelēz adds that its Dairylea Lunchables and Snackers range already uses 75% rPET content in its packaging in the UK. From next year, Philadelphia tubs and lids will also begin using recycled plastic, the result of the company’s partnership with Berry Global.
Mondelēz is set to invest over £21 million a year in technology, resources, and recycling infrastructure, claiming that it expects to see an acceleration in this investment over time. By 2025, the company says, it will aim to have invested over £215 million in sustainability initiatives for its plastic products.
Earlier this year, Mondelēz and its partners launched the Flexible Plastics Fund. It says that this initiative is designed to increase recycling rates of flexible plastic in the UK with front-of-store collections to begin with, potentially expanding to include this material within UK household collections in the future.
The company is also a member of the UK Plastics Pact, as part of its commitment to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastic Economy Global Commitment.
Marcus Gover, CEO at WRAP, the leader of the UK Plastic Pact, says: “Action is urgently needed to address the complex challenges around plastic bags and wrapping, which represents nearly a quarter of all UK consumer plastic packaging.
“Moves towards recycled content are important in reducing the demand on natural resources, and I am pleased Mondelez International will include recycled plastic from next year on this household brand as part of its work toward the UK Plastic Pact targets.”
