GERMANY – Swiss food manufacturing giant Nestlé has announced that its popular Smarties brand is now using recyclable paper packaging for its confectionery products worldwide.

The announcement follows a decision by Nestlé Cereals UK that well-known cereal brands including Cheerios, Shreddies and Shredded Wheat are set to reduce the amount of plastic used in packaging by more than 600 tonnes annually.

Nestlé Cereals UK said the new packs will also mean that fewer lorries are required to transport the products to stores across the UK, saving an estimated total of 115,000 road miles – resulting in a reduction of 180 tonnes of CO₂ per annum.

At Smarties, the transition represents a transition of 90% of the Smarties range, as 10% was previously already packed in recyclable paper packaging.

With the transition, Smarties becomes the first global confectionery brand to completely switch to recyclable paper packaging, removing approximately 250 million plastic packs sold globally every year.

The journey to 100% recyclable paper started last year when Nestlé began introducing Smarties sharing block packed in the new packages in the UK.

Nestle says that 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.

Alexander von Maillot, Global Head of Confectionery at Nestlé, said: “Shifting Smarties packaging to recyclable paper is one of our key sustainable packaging initiatives in the confectionery category.”

“It is a further step in realizing 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,” Maillot added.

Nestlé has invested significantly to upgrade its factories globally, including in Hamburg, Germany facility, which is one of the company’s largest factories for confectionery products.

The transformation of the Smarties packaging is only one of the brands’ ‘SMART Initiatives’, which aim to support sustainability and enhance the overall product experience.

Liked this article? Subscribe to Food Business Africa News, our regular email newsletters with the latest news insights from Africa and the World’s food and agro industry. SUBSCRIBE HERE