Cadbury sharing bars to be wrapped in 80% recycled plastic

Starting from 2025, about 600 tonnes of post-consumer recycled plastic will be allocated across 300 million bars per year across the UK&I Cadbury core tablet portfolio.

The new packaging will also feature a QR code that will allow consumers to access a platform to find out more about the Cadbury brand’s sustainability journey and the Recycle Now locator from the Waste and Resources Action Plan (WRAP).

Developed in partnership with Amcor and Jindal Films, 80% of the plastic used in the packaging can be attributed to recycled plastic through mass balance and International Sustainability and Carbon Certification PLUS certification.  

Louise Stigant, SVP and UK&I managing director at Mondelēz International, said: “We remain focused on our long-term aim to offer more sustainable packaging, in particular flexible plastic packaging using advanced recycling technologies.​

The evolution of packaging

“For us, this is based around a three-part approach aimed at reducing our packaging, evolving, and designing our packaging to be recyclable and improving systems by supporting the development of UK infrastructure and capabilities to collect, sort and recycle it back into food contact packaging.”   ​

Mondelēz’s commitment to 80% recycled plastic in its Cadbury range builds on its previous move to wrap its 110g Dairy Milk sharing bar in 30% rectified recycled plastic since 2022.

WRAP head of material system transformation Helen Bird added: “The biggest recycling challenge is plastic wrapping - collecting it at scale, sorting and recycling it into new things - ideally packaging. Recycling this type of plastic back into food packaging can only be achieved through advanced recycling technologies.​

“WRAP is delighted to hear that UK Plastics Pact member Mondelēz is rolling out the use of certified recycled plastic in its Cadbury sharing bars. This is the future and must be scaled far and wide across other companies and products ranges.” ​

Food grade applications

Amcor’s AmFiniti solution converts post-consumer plastic waste into new products, providing Mondelēz International with a ‘packaging solution’ that is made using 80% certified recycled plastic. This novel process uses advanced recycling Material that is suitable for food-grade applications.

Kyra Chavalés, global key account manager at Amcor, said: “Mondelēz International’s implementation of the AmFiniti™ solution is a major step towards further advancing recycled plastic packaging across the global confectionary market. ​

“Amcor continues to work alongside our partners - such as Mondelēz - to enable brands to meet rising consumer demand for more responsible packaging, advance sustainability goals, and comply with upcoming EU regulations.”​

Meanwhile, supermarket chain Sainsbury’s has overhauled the packaging of its in-store bakery products​​ as part of a wider bid to reduce plastic waste.