CHOCOLATE PACKAGING
“Earlier this year Mars Wrigley set out to trial the use of recyclable paper packaging on its Mars bars in Tesco supermarkets across the UK”
everyday life. From the test, we will derive insights for our sustainable packaging strategy. While challenges may impact the pace of progress towards our vision, we are committed to scaling up viable solutions where recycling options exist and to test, learn, partner and advocate where they don’t.” When concluded, the results of the trials will be used to
inform other trials across the region, all in the name of the company’s ‘Sustainable in a Generation’ plan which is designed to help the organisation reduce its use of virgin plastics by one-third in the short-term. Nestlé has also looked at the use of paper wrappers, and
early this year it began trials for a new paper packaging on its KitKat four-finger 45g with the help of Coles Supermarkets across Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory. At the time the trial was announced, Chris O’Donnell,
Nestlé Oceania General Manager of Confectionery and Snacks, says: “We are proud to be the first country globally to trial KitKat in paper packaging, as an important step towards reducing our use of virgin plastic. With all packaging innovations, our priority is to ensure we deliver the same delicious KitKat with creamy chocolate and crisp wafer. The feedback we receive on this trial will help shape our next steps.” Each KitKat bar featured a QR code which
consumers were able to scan to have their say by answering a series of questions about the new paper packaging. The paper wrappers are designed to be recycled through kerbside recycling bins that collect and process paper. The trial wrapper incorporates a thin metal barrier film to keep the product fresh and features a recyclable label to inform consumers.
Breaking down barriers So, with big global chocolate brands looking at moving to the use of paper-based material packaging, it is important that chocolate manufacturers of all sizes also think carefully about what their consumers are looking for and collaborate with organisations that can help address sustainability demands.
42 Kennedy’s Confection October 2023 “A key consideration for chocolate producers today is
the move away from materials that cannot be sustainably disposed of,” says Abi Carter, Sales & Marketing Executive at Premier Forrester, the UK representative for Chocal Packaging. “In recent years we have seen new packaging options coming to the market. However, they do not always provide the protection required to ensure quality and shelf life. In the same way that there are many different chocolate products, there are also many different packaging principles to consider and to find the right packaging confectionery producers need to first take into account some important considerations.” Waldemar Geng, Key Account Manager, Chocal Packaging,
continues: “In general, the first step should be to find out which barriers the product requires – oxygen, water vapour, oil, fat, etc – currently, packaging materials with significantly higher barriers than are actually required are often used. This inevitably leads to a waste of resources and also to poorly recyclable or non-recyclable packaging. This waste of resources needs to be avoided in the future. “Further, in consideration of the European Packaging
and Packaging Waste Regulations (PPWR), packaging must be developed that protects the product, but not more than is needed for the requirements of the product. Once we know the level of barrier protection required for each product, it narrows down the materials available to achieve the desired barrier.” Explaining further, Waldemar highlighted chocolate
figures as an example. “Here, aluminium can be replaced by paper. Chocal offers paper packaging that can be shaped according to requirements. Different barrier layers can be applied to the paper, which can either be recycled or composted at home.” For countries with a functioning recycling system, Chocal recommends the recyclable barrier layer. For other countries, the home-compostable coating may be a better choice, as it also decomposes faster in nature than conventional packaging. Chocal’s paper packaging can be printed as
usual and offers the same product protection and shelf life as aluminium packaging. Despite the fact that the paper is much thicker, it emits significantly less CO2 into the environment than aluminium packaging. The paper can therefore offer a good alternative to aluminium packaging and can be recycled with significantly less energy input.” However, it is not enough
to simply use a different packaging material
and Waldemar suggests that
confectionery manufacturers approach a packaging material change consciously and at the same time think about packaging design. “Only if the packaging is significantly changed is the consumer likely
KennedysConfection.com
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