Mondelēz International has replaced rigid PET plastic trays with paper ones across its flagship cookies ranges.
Marking the largest single packaging sustainability initiative ever undertaken in the Chicago-headquartered food manufacturing giant’s European bakery category, it spans more than 115 cookie products under eight different brands including Cadbury, LU, Milka, Granola, Marabou, Chips Ahoy!, Lacta, and Freia.
In total, the switch to paper is expected to eliminate the use of roughly 2,000 tonnes of virgin plastic per year, representing a reduction of around 80% compared to the original plastic packs.
It will cover approximately 25,000 tonnes of cookies produced annually, including UK lines such as Cadbury Crunchy Melts, Cadbury Chocolate Chip Cookies, and LU Petit Cookies, along with other products sold in 25 European markets like Ireland, France, Germany, Poland, Spain, and the Nordics.
The transition builds on other significant sustainability progress made by Mondelēz in the UK, such as last year’s trial of paper tubs for Cadbury Heroes and paper outer packaging for Cadbury Animals and Cadbury Dairy Milk Mini Finger biscuit multipacks. The company has previously incorporated 80% recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate (rPET) into trays for its sweet bakery snack and chocolate brands.
Mondelēz said its initiative delivers what consumers across Europe care about: packaging they can easily recycle, and the brands they love with less packaging. Each product communicates the plastic reduction on pack, so shoppers can see the difference at a glance, it added.
Mondelēz is part of the World Cocoa Foundation along with other chocolate manufacturers such as Barry Callebaut, Cargill, Mars Wrigley, Nestlé, Ferrero and Lindt & Sprüngli. Earlier this year, the trade body announced the publication of the Active Deforestation Risk Assessment Methodology, providing practical guidance to support more transparent, consistent and evidence-based approaches for cocoa supply chains.
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