Mars Wrigley Germany is offering a chocolate bar in a paper-based packaging for the first time and together with its German retail partner EDEKA Minden-Hannover (regional company of the EDEKA association). More than 90% of the packaging of the 100,000 multipacks (each contains nine single bars) is made of paper. With this test, Mars Wrigley reduces the use of packaging plastic by around 440 kilograms. The sustainable BALISTO multipacks will be available in more than 500 EDEKA markets in the region from February. The BALISTO Multipacks will be available from February.
The BALISTO Pilot is just one of many projects launched worldwide this year in all Mars business areas. The company’s goal is to make all packaging reusable, recyclable and compostable by 2025 and to reduce the consumption of new plastic by 25%.
Laurence Etienne, Managing Director Mars Wrigley Germany said: “A product is only truly sustainable if it is also sustainably packaged. For the first time we offer a chocolate biscuit bar in paper. We are pleased to implement this important step in our global packaging strategy here in the German market.”
The intensive cooperation with EDEKA Minden-Hannover, Germany, is a cornerstone of the project. “We are delighted to be part of this pilot project. EDEKA Minden-Hannover itself has been working for years as part of its sustainability strategy for the use of sustainable packaging as well as for the reduction of plastic waste,” said Dirk Koerner, Managing Director Purchase at EDEKA Minden-Hannover.
BALISTO Honey-Almond: new sustainable packaging – same great taste
Chocolate places high demands on packaging. On the one hand, it must maintain optimal taste and quality, and, on the other hand, it must reliably protect the product from contamination and moisture. The packaging developed for Mars from special paper is more than 90% natural fibers and is FSC and PEFC certified. A thin barrier coating protects the chocolate and prevents it from being greased outwards.
The project will show how the paper material proves itself in practice, for example in the production and assembly in the factory located in Viersen (Germany), during transport and on the shelf. How customers accept sustainable packaging is also crucial to success. All the lessons learned will feed into the future design of the packaging for the Mars chocolate bar portfolio.
Functional, safe and sustainable packaging for all Mars products
The launch of the BALISTO pilot project is an important step towards achieving the company’s goal of making all packaging sustainable by 2025. Mars’ packaging strategy specifically aims to avoid unnecessary packaging and to use recyclable materials. In addition, the use of new materials such as paper or recycled plastic is intended to reduce the consumption of virgin plastics by 25%.
“Our packaging should be part of the circular economy so that no packaging becomes waste. To this end, we invest in sustainable solutions and the development of recycling systems and work closely with partners such as the Ellen MacArthur Foundation,” said Etienne.
Please find more information https://deu.mars.com/Balisto-Pilotprojekt
Image credit: Mars Wrigley
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Kiran Grewal
Editor, International Confectionery
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