Nestlé unveils five-pillar strategy to hit 2025 recyclable packaging target

SWITZERLAND – Nestlé has rolled out a detailed packaging strategy centered on five key areas to ensure all its global packaging becomes recyclable or reusable by the end of 2025. 

The plan targets a drop in virgin plastic use by one-third from 2018 levels, building on the company’s current use of about 873 kilotonnes of plastic packaging in 2024, where 87% is already recyclable or reusable.

At the core of this effort sits the Nestlé Institute of Packaging Sciences in Switzerland, which opened in 2019 and now houses around 50 specialists. 

The institute drives projects like testing simpler multilayer films for better recycling and creating high-barrier paper options to swap out conventional plastics.

These innovations aim to cut material needs while keeping products fresh.

The strategy’s first pillar emphasizes cutting down on packaging volume and shifting to reuse options. 

Nestlé is running trials such as stainless-steel containers for Nesquik in Germany and refill stations for pet food at select stores. 

Company figures show progress toward more than 95 percent of plastic packaging being designed for recycling by next year.

Redesign forms the third pillar, where Nestlé teams up with manufacturers to develop materials that avoid non-recyclable elements. 

This includes phasing out problematic plastics through joint ventures. The fourth pillar pushes for better recycling systems worldwide. 

As a member of the UK Flexible Plastic Fund, the company supports collection and sorting expansions, alongside partnerships in Asia and Latin America to boost recovery of used materials.

The final pillar calls for changes in habits among consumers, suppliers, and retailers to cut waste. 

Nestlé promotes shared duties, like clear recycling labels on products, to encourage proper disposal.

In a statement, Véronique Cremades-Mathis, Global Head of Sustainable Packaging at Nestlé, noted that infrastructure shortfalls in many regions slow full circularity. 

She said, “We have advanced in our shift to a waste-free system, yet greater investment in collection networks is essential to close the gaps.”

Nestlé also backs global policy moves, including a binding UN treaty on plastic pollution to standardize rules across borders. 

Through the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy, it contributes to building sorting and recycling setups in underserved areas.

Recent updates show steady gains. In March 2024, Nestlé reported 83.5%  of its global plastic packaging as designed for recycling, up from prior years. 

A US$30 million investment in the US seeks to ramp up food-grade recycled plastics availability.

Meanwhile, in Chile, a new pet food refill program launched this year to test reuse at scale. In Brazil, Nestlé-funded waste collection efforts now train over 8,000 workers across 11 states, improving local recovery rates.

The US Plastics Pact, which includes Nestlé, adjusted some plastic reduction timelines to 2030 due to supply hurdles, though Nestlé maintains its 2025 packaging goals intact. 

The company plans employee training for over 290,000 staff to speed up adoption.

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