The makers of Cadbury Dairy Milk and OREO said its Cadbury Giant Buttons, Caramel Nibbles and Bitsa Wispa large sharing bags in the UK will contain the same amount of treats as before, but in a new optimised pack format that uses 15% less packaging.
Mondelēz confirmed the new packs will be on shelves nationwide from October and are the first in a series of moves planned in the UK to remove or reduce unnecessary packaging without compromising product safety or quality.
The smaller bags will necessitate fewer trucks to transport the same amount of product. As a result, the number of vehicles needed for transportation will be reduced by 14%, the company claimed.
Louise Stigant, UK Managing Director, Mondelēz International, said: “We’re committed to reducing the impact our products have on the environment and tackling packaging waste. One way in which we are delivering against that ambition is to either reduce or remove our packaging where we can without compromising food safety.
“I’m proud to say that cutting the plastic used in our iconic large share bags by 15%, whilst maintaining the amount of product, is just one step in our journey towards our strategic goal to use less packaging across our UK business, and demonstrates our innovative approach to reducing our environmental impact.”
The snacking giant has a presence in over 150 countries around the world and posted 2018 net revenues of approximately $26bn.
Mondelēz said the initiative is the latest move towards its vision of creating zero net waste packaging through its three-pronged ‘pack right and pack light’ strategy of; packing optimisation; addressing the collection and recycling of packaging and investing in post-consumer recycled material; and making it easier for consumers to recycle. It has already eliminated over 64,000 tonnes of packaging globally since 2013; made 100% of its paper-based packaging sustainably sourced; and is on track to reach its ambitious target to make all of its packaging designed to be recyclable by 2025.