UK – Weetabix has unveiled new 100% recyclable bottles for its Weetabix On the Go range of breakfast drinks, which will be introduced in the UK this month after 18 month of development.
According to Weetabix, the bottle, cap and sleeve can now all be recycled together – ensuring it’s a quick, easy and convenient way to recycle.
The breakfast drink is now packaged in a clear PET bottle, which is made from 30% recycled plastic. A ‘100% recyclable logo’ will be displayed on the lid of the product to increase shopper awareness about the recyclability of the product.
“Like many food manufacturers, we’re on a journey to improve our sustainability credentials. We’ve been exploring this option for a while, and 18 months ago, we decided to upweight our efforts to making a fully all-in-one recyclable bottle,” Emma Varlow, general manager at Weetabix On The Go, said.
“Our main priority was food safety and ensuring that consumers can always enjoy the high-quality products they expect from us. We embarked on a journey of trials and testing various recyclable sleeves and bottle designs, but we had to be sure that any packaging innovation would keep the product fresh for its entire shelf life.
“After facing several challenges throughout the process, we’re thrilled to have made the final bottle design with 30% recycled plastic and are now considering how to bring that up to 50% or higher. We are also working on making the bottle lighter, therefore, reducing the amount of plastic used by 10% in every single bottle.”
A statement from the company the move is part of the sustainability initiatives which has a target of reaching 100 per cent recyclable packaging by 2025. At present, 92 per cent of its packaging is recyclable.
The roll out of the new bottles will be supported by a new social media campaign to encourage people to recycle at home and when on the move.
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