For the first time, packaging for Kind snack bars will include recycled content made from recycling, to reduce the inclusion of virgin plastic.
Mars has announced it has reached a new milestone in its commitment to a circular economy, as the snack bar packaging incorporates recycled content. the new material has been designed for circularity and is created through recycling used mixed plastic that would otherwise go in landfill. The new packaging can be put in drop-off recycling in the UK and kerbside recycling in Ireland.
Part of the company’s commitment to circularity, Mars has pledged to reduce the use of virgin plastic by 25%, incorporating 30% recycled content into its plastic packaging and redesigning more than 12,000 packaging components.
“At Mars, we want to contribute to a circular economy where packaging material never becomes waste, but is recycled, reused or composted,” explained Barry Parkin, Chief Procurement & Sustainability Officer at Mars. “For this to happen, we need new solutions and infrastructure to change the recycling landscape and to compliment mechanical recycling. Today marks another important step in accelerating our sustainable packaging journey.”
“At KIND, we are committed to making our packaging as sustainable as it can be,” added Peter Morris, General Manager at Kind Snacks UK. “This announcement marks the latest milestone towards achieving this vision, and we look forward to driving further positive and long-lasting changes to our packaging in the future.”
The project is part of a collaboration with SABIC, Landbell, Plastic Energy, Taghleef and SIT. The partnership has created a lighter weight wrapper from recyclable monomaterial polypropylene.
“We are very excited about this pioneering closed-loop project that demonstrates the feasibility and speed of implementing circular plastic innovations when leading actors from across the entire value chain are closely collaborating. Used flexible packaging has a high feedstock value for new materials,” concluded Lada Kurelec, General Manager PP, PET, PS, PVC, PU & Elastomers Business for Petrochemicals at SABIC.
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