Milky Way opts for a can format to reduce plastic packaging

A 2021 research study​, for instance, found that aluminium drink cans have a recyclability rate of 82% in the UK, making them the country’s most recycled beverage packaging choice.

Calls for manufacturers to adopt sustainable packaging are only increasing, too.  The European Union’s Single-Use Plastics (SUP) Directive became fully enforceable in 2024, the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive pursues ambitious targets, the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws in the US gather pace and ​the introduction of deposit return schemes (DRS) throughout the UK​ is coming into full effect in 2025. These highlight the rising consciousness of a move away from plastics to more environmentally-friendly alternatives.

Could confectionery brands entering into cans be an interesting and appealing proposition to today’s eco-conscious consumers? Mars certainly thinks so.

“The can format allows us to offer a more sustainable choice that’s easier for consumers to recycle,” says Michelle Frost, general manager at Mars Chocolate Drinks and Treats.

Expanding into cans​

Mars Chocolate Drinks and Treats (MCD&T), which owns the Milky Way brand, has expanded its range of milk drinks in a can by launching Milky Way Milk. Packaged in a 250ml can, the new product follows the company’s introduction of Mars and Galaxy milk drinks in cans.

The company is now expanding its sweet treat-in-a-can format to the Milky Way as one way to adopt more sustainable packaging solutions.

“We launched Milky Way milk drink in a can to fulfil both our corporate and consumer demand for more sustainable packaging,” says Frost.

The milk drinks in a can range, including Mars and Galaxy, are ambient to store yet are presented to consumers in the chiller. Targeting the busy on-the-go market, the Milky Way brand’s aim, Frost shares, is to create “an impulse purchase appealing to a 16-45 audience looking for an instant sweet treat”.

Progressing sustainable packaging

With 58% of global consumers trying to avoid excess product packaging​ for sustainability reasons, new formats tap into this increasing awareness. According to Statista​, the global sustainable packaging market is worth $293 billion (€271 bn). With the focus on sustainable, convenient and engaging packaging formats rising, cans may be a novel way to appeal to sweet-drink shoppers.

Over the past year, consumers have said they have decreased single-plastic use and are selecting reusable packaging instead, Innova’s research finds. Equally,  consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable packaging​, with resource-related sustainability claims like recycled materials, biodegradable packaging and reusable materials and eco-friendly prompting consumers to spend at the tills.

Mars aims to reduce the total GHG emissions across its value chain by 50% by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2050 compared to 2015. The global chocolate brand has attained a 16% decrease in GHGs of its entire value chain from its 2015 baseline. “At MCD&T, we consider the latest packaging and recycling scientific advancements to guide our decisions as part of our 2050 net zero emissions commitment,” adds Frost.

“Over the past three years, the flavoured milk market has seen a shift toward more sustainable packaging,” Frost shares. Sales of milk in cans have increased by more than five million, reflecting a 13% growth, IRI data from July 2024 on values sales from all snack outlooks states. Alongside the rise in can production in confectionery, sales of plastic bottles have declined by 11% during the same period.

According to market insights provider Innova, consumers want more transparency, traceability, and sustainability​ from their food and drink products. The calls for these extend beyond retail manufacturing to quick-service restaurant options. As the availability of sustainable products influences habits and purchases, adopting alternative formats to plastic indicate a shift towards more environmentally-conscious packaging.

Confectionery brands may, therefore, feel encouraged to introduce can formats across their product portfolios, confident they can offer a sustainable, scalable and profitable alternative to plastic packaging. Mars will extend the range of its products available in cans beyond Mars, the Milky Way and the Galaxy in 2025.