Mondelēz International has announced an important advancement in its commitment to sustainable food and drink packaging. The Cadbury core sharing bars, produced in Bournville and Coolock for the UK&I market, will now be packaged in 80% certified recycled plastic. This innovative packaging incorporates plastic sourced through advanced recycling technology. This initiative results from a strategic partnership with Amcor, a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions, and Jindal Films, renowned for developing recyclable films for flexible packaging.
Beginning in 2025, Mondelēz will implement this project in phases, targeting approximately 300 million sharing bars across the UK&I Cadbury tablet portfolio. This initiative represents the highest percentage of recycled flexible plastic within the Cadbury brand on a global scale. Notably, 80% of the plastic utilized in the packaging will be identified as recycled through mass balance and certified by ISCC (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification) PLUS.
Consumers will have access to a new platform via an on-pack QR code, offering insights into the sustainable packaging journey undertaken by the Cadbury brand and a user-friendly explanation of mass balance. This platform also incorporates the Recycle Now® locator from WRAP, allowing consumers to find local collection and recycling points for various packaging materials.
“This is the latest move in our journey to increase our use of post-consumer recycled plastic across our Cadbury tablets portfolio in the UK&I,” stated Louise Stigant, SVP and UK&I Managing Director, Mondelēz International.
“We remain focused on our long-term aim to provide more sustainable packaging, particularly in the realm of flexible plastic packaging using advanced recycling technologies. Our strategy encompasses a three-part approach: reducing overall packaging, evolving packaging designs to enhance recyclability, and improving systems by supporting the development of UK infrastructure for collecting, sorting, and recycling back into food-grade packaging.”
Helen Bird, Head of Material System Transformation at WRAP remarked, “The biggest recycling challenge is plastic wrapping – collecting it at scale, sorting, and recycling it into new products, ideally packaging. Recycling this type of plastic back into food packaging can only be achieved through advanced recycling technologies. WRAP is delighted to hear that UK Plastics Pact member Mondelēz is rolling out the use of certified recycled plastic in its Cadbury sharing bars. This is the future and must be scaled far and wide across other companies and product ranges.”
Robbie Staniforth, Director of Innovation and Policy at Ecosurety: “We’re pleased to see Mondelēz taking this step toward increasing their use of recycled flexible plastic packaging and helping to lead the way for change across the industry. The public desires full circularity for flexible plastic packaging, and with this high-profile innovation, Mondelēz demonstrates what can be accomplished when a company commits to sustainability. We anticipate more brands following their lead.”
“Mondelēz International’s implementation of the AmFiniti™ solution marks a significant step forward in advancing recycled plastic packaging within the global confectionery market. Amcor continues to collaborate with partners, such as Mondelēz, to enable brands to meet the growing consumer demand for responsible packaging, achieve sustainability goals, and comply with upcoming EU regulations,” said Kyra Chavalés, Global Key Account Manager at Amcor.
Amcor’s AmFiniti™ technology transforms post-consumer plastic waste into new packaging products, providing Mondelēz International with a solution composed of 80% certified recycled plastic. This innovative process utilizes advanced recycling materials (ARM), making it suitable for food-grade applications.
For more information, visit www.mondelezinternational.com
Additionally, learn more at www.amcor.com