KitKat is the first food product in New Zealand to use a soft plastic wrapper with recycled content. The change will see over 40 million four finger bars across Australia and New Zealand be packed in 30 percent recycled plastic wrapper.
"We’re focussed on less packaging and better packaging. This is a journey of ongoing innovation. While we have made progress in a number of areas, the KitKat 45g bar wrapped in 30 percent recycled soft plastic, the first of its kind, is a huge stride in the right direction. Consumers are increasingly paying attention to the recyclability of the products they use. This innovation is a win-win for KitKat fans; they can give the planet a break, while they take their break. The 30 percent recycled content wrapper will keep the chocolate crisp, fresh and delicious and the wrapper also remains recyclable through the Soft Plastics Recycling Scheme," said Jennifer Chappell, Nestlé New Zealand CEO.
"We’re committed to our search for this material, and as more become available we want to increase the amount we can source for our packaging. In fact, we’ve committed to invest Swiss Franc 2 billion (NZD 3.3 billion) globally to stimulate the market and lead the shift from virgin plastics to food grade recycled plastics."
The new wrapper cuts the company's virgin plastic use by around 250,000 square metres. Nestle plans to introduce soft plastic wrappers with recycled content to further product ranges as global packaging availability increases.
“We hope this wrapper does more than just reduce virgin plastic use. We hope it’s a reminder of the importance of recycling your packaging to give it another life. That starts today with recycling your wrappers in the Love NZ Soft Plastics Recycling bins. We’d love to see a future where we can create true circularity so New Zealand’s own waste soft plastic can be turned back into soft plastic food packaging," said Margaret Stuart, Nestlé Oceania Director of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability.
The 30 percent food grade recycled plastic wrapper is supplied by Huhtamaki.
