Nivea India celebrates recycling 65MT of multilayer plastic in 5 years

INDIA – Nivea India, a Beiersdorf-owned brand, has successfully recycled 65 tonnes of multi-layer plastics (MLP) over the past four and a half years.

This initiative has conserved 1,755 cubic meters of water and offset 358 metric tonnes of CO2 emissions. Additionally, it has created 1,000 job opportunities in the region.

Neha Parekh, Supply Chain Director at Nivea India, stated, “After careful planning and collaboration with our partner agencies, we are thrilled to witness the impactful outcomes of our efforts.

“This initiative not only champions environmental sustainability but also significantly enhances the operational efficiency of our distributors. Our Care Beyond Skin global program exemplifies our dedication to making sustainable contributions to society, people, and the environment.

“The project truly reflects our core values, blending safety, quality, and sustainability for our local distributors, resulting in a positive transformation across the nation.”

Launched in 2021, Nivea India’s environmental initiative targets significantly reducing plastic waste and enhancing infrastructure within its 57 distributor networks, focusing on the notoriously difficult-to-recycle MLP.

The brand adopted a comprehensive approach, meticulously segregating, cleaning, and processing plastic waste at a specialized facility.

The recycled plastic was converted into eco-friendly sheets, replacing traditional wooden panels.

These eco-sheets were crafted into durable store units and distributed to key suppliers across 39 cities, including major metros such as Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Delhi, Noida, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, and other towns like Trivandrum, Nagpur, Nashik, Jaipur, Indore, Bhopal, Patna, Dehradun, Ludhiana, Rajkot, Guwahati, and Siliguri.

To enhance quality control within its distributor network, Nivea India implemented several initiatives, including video-based training for distributors, using recycled plastic for closed racks to ensure secure and clean product storage, and introducing colored crates to segregate damaged and expired stock.

A local Nivea distributor noted, “After installing the new storage units provided by NIVEA, we’ve seen a remarkable improvement in our space management. The quality of the racks is top-notch.”

Another distributor from Jaipur remarked, “Having worked with numerous companies and brands, none have shown such a dedicated customer orientation throughout the entire process.”

Meanwhile, Nivea recently announced its 2025 Sustainability Initiatives in line with its sustainability goals.

These include updates to products and packaging with a focus on climate-conscious manufacturing. Nivea began reformulating and repackaging products last year, with changes rolling out this year across the lip, shower, and cream/lotion categories.

The redesign features a new tin for the iconic Nivea Creme, now made with recycled aluminum while maintaining its signature blue tin.

For all the latest packaging and printing industry news from Africa and the World, subscribe to our NEWSLETTER, follow us on LinkedIn and subscribe to our YouTube channel.