Unilever launches new Domestos bleach bottles made from 50% recycled plastic

UK – British consumer goods company Unilever through its homecare brand Domestos has re-launched its core bleach range in new bottles made from 50% post-consumer recycled plastic (PCR).

The brand has moved its UK 750ml bleach range to use recycled plastic, which it says will save 1,505 tonnes of virgin plastic per year.

According to Unilever, the new Domestos bottles use high-quality recycled resin to ensure the bottle is strong and durable, while also enabling the incorporation of recycled plastic into the coloured bottles without compromising on the distinct colour and quality of the packaging.

With plastic waste a top environmental concern for shoppers, Domestos is communicating the move with new front-of-pack labelling.

In addition, all the bottles include an On-Pack Recycling Label (ORPL) ‘Cap On Recycle’ logo to support more consumers to recycle them.

Claire Racklyeft, Home & Hygiene Category Lead, Unilever UK&I, commented: “Domestos has been protecting households against germs for over 90 years, and now we’re looking at how we can do this in a more sustainable way by tackling plastic waste too.”

“Our bottles are already recyclable but incorporating recycled plastic into a bottle made for bleach has been challenging, but our packaging team have worked very closely with our suppliers and partners to ensure consistency of material and bottle quality.”

Racklyeft explained: “We know it’s important to shoppers that big brands take action to tackle plastic waste, so we’re already working towards bottles made with 100% recycled plastic.”

The move by Domestos is part of Unilever’s Global ‘Clean Future’ commitment, an innovation programme and €1 billion investment, designed by the company’s Home Care business unit to fundamentally change the way that cleaning and laundry products are created, manufactured and packaged.

Clean Future is unique in its intent to embed the circular economy principles into both packaging and product formulations at the scale of global brands to reduce their carbon footprint.

Increasing the use of recycled plastic in packaging is a key part of Unilever’s wider global packaging commitments, which include halving their use of virgin plastic as well as ensuring all their packaging is reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.

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