Unilever has significantly increased its investment in materials science and technology over the past few years and is further enhancing its in-house expertise.
Pablo Costa, global head of packaging, stated: “Our plastic progress is industry-leading, but we cannot be complacent. That’s why we’re now taking materials science into our own hands. Our aim is to optimize what we can do in-house while working end-to-end with our partners and peers to bring these solutions to market.”
The company emphasizes that incorporating more post-consumer recycled (PCR) content in its packaging is essential for minimizing the use of virgin plastics; however, this presents a complex technical challenge.
To ensure that recycled plastic meets consumer expectations, it undergoes rigorous testing and quality checks to maintain characteristics such as a fresh scent and vibrant colors, similar to those of virgin plastic.
This year, Unilever’s Packaging R&D team characterized 160 grades of recycled plastic content. They developed a digital tool that predicts packaging color, thereby eliminating the need for physical prototypes with recycled materials, resulting in a 25% reduction in development time.
Moreover, the Advanced Manufacturing Centre—a pilot-scale facility for in-house testing—allows the team to optimize materials and designs virtually prior to market introduction. This process further minimizes the necessity for physical tests and factory trials, ensuring that packaging is ready for widespread production.
In line with its commitment to sustainable packaging, Unilever aims to make 100% of its flexible plastic packaging reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2035. The company is also focused on eliminating non-essential packaging by scaling alternative product formats and innovative business models.
Through the ‘Future Flexibles’ program, Unilever is striving to develop recyclable and compostable materials suitable for packaging items like pouches and sachets. This entails designing materials compatible with recycling systems while ensuring they are naturally biodegradable.
Currently, paper stands as the only widely recyclable and compostable packaging material available. However, paper alone is inadequate due to its low barrier properties, susceptibility to ripping in industrial settings, and challenges in sealing processes.
Costa remarked: “Packaging liquid products like laundry detergent and shampoo in paper is one of the most technically complex challenges we’re tackling in R&D. They have higher barrier requirements compared to dry products. The solution lies in removing the plastic film layer by developing material alternatives that can still seal the packaging and provide barrier protection, without impacting its recyclability and natural biodegradability.”
“Switching to recyclable and compostable paper flexibles will require major industry transformation. There are no quick fixes. But we’re already starting work to prepare our supply chain—and our consumers—for the transition.”
Unilever continuously advocates for systematic change, acknowledging that voluntary actions by businesses alone are insufficient to combat plastic pollution effectively.
Costa emphasized the need for ambitious, coordinated policy measures across the entire plastic life-cycle to scale effective solutions and ensure that all businesses “play by the same rules.”
“Only by working together will we scale alternative materials, formats, and models and get closer to delivering our goals. We’re all in when it comes to leading this change.”
