Cadbury to use 80% recycled plastic in sharing bars by 2025

UK – Mondelēz International has announced a significant sustainability milestone for its Cadbury brand, aiming to wrap its core sharing bars sold in the UK and Ireland in packaging made from 80% certified recycled plastic by 2025.

This new initiative, covering approximately 300 million sharing bars, will use the highest percentage of recycled flexible plastic within the Cadbury brand globally.

The change will be rolled out in phases across Cadbury’s core tablet portfolio starting in 2025, with production based in Bournville and Coolock.

The packaging will be made using mass-balance-certified recycled plastic, verified by the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS program.

Cadbury’s sustainable packaging journey will be accessible to consumers through a QR code on product packaging. This code links to a platform where customers can learn about the brand’s packaging innovations, including a user-friendly explanation of the mass-balance approach.

The platform also integrates WRAP’s Recycle Now locator, enabling consumers to find local recycling points for various packaging materials easily.

“This marks the next step in our journey to increase the use of post-consumer recycled plastic in our Cadbury tablets portfolio across the UK and Ireland,” stated Louise Stigant, Senior Vice President and Managing Director for Mondelēz International UK&I.

Helen Bird, Head of Material System Transformation at WRAP, praised the initiative, noting, “This is the future, and it must be scaled far and wide across other companies and product ranges.”

The initiative has also garnered industry support from Ecosurety, with Director of Innovation and Policy Robbie Staniforth adding, “The public wants to see full circularity for flexible plastic packaging, and with this high-profile innovation, Mondelēz is setting a precedent for the industry.”

Earlier this year, Mondelēz also partnered with Saica Group to introduce paper-based, recyclable packaging for multipack products in the confectionery and biscuit categories.

This paper-based option is heat-sealable and can be customized with coated or uncoated finishes. In developing this new format, the teams focused on optimizing packaging for Vertical Form Fill Seal (VFFS) machinery to ensure quality, functionality, and ease of use.

These packaging innovations reflect Mondelēz’s commitment to sustainable solutions, aiming to achieve full circularity in packaging and set a new standard in the industry.

Sign up HERE to receive our email newsletters with the latest news and insights from Africa and around the world, and follow us on our WhatsApp channel for updates.