Food and drink conglomerate, Nestlé, announced its plan to only use 100% recyclable or reusable packaging by 2025 back in January, and now the first step in that direction is being realised through mini KitKat bars.
Nestlé’s Japan branch recently shared a new packaging design for its miniature KitKat chocolate bars, which features a paper wrapper with instructions prompting the eater to fold the used paper into a tiny origami crane after enjoying the chocolate. This may seem like baby steps in a sustainable direction for a company with so many other products to worry about, but Fast Company reports that the new paper packaging for miniature KitKats alone will likely dwindle the company’s plastic use down by 380 tons per year.
“Plastic waste is one of the biggest sustainability issues the world is facing today,” said Nestlé CEO Mark Schneider. “Tackling it requires a collective approach. We are committed to finding improved solutions to reduce, re-use and recycle. Our ambition is to achieve 100% recyclable or reusable packaging by 2025.”
KitKat’s new paper crane packaging will debut in Japan later this month, as Japan is currently KitKat’s largest market, with around four million units sold each day in the country alone. The rollout will start with the original, matcha, and otona no amasa (a type of dark chocolate) flavours. Next September will see even more additions to the range, including paper outer bag packaging for KitKat multipacks, and single-layer paper wrappers for regular-sized KitKats can be expected in 2021.
This packaging news follows KitKat’s introduction of a special yuzu sake flavour.
