Nestlé strives for 100 per cent recyclable or reusable packaging by 2025

Nestlé, the world's largest food and beverage company, has announced its ambition to make 100 per cent of its packaging recyclable or re-usable by 2025.

Its vision is that none of its packaging, including plastics, ends up in landfill or as litter.

Nestlé believes that there is an “urgent need” to minimise the impact of packaging on the environment.

“Plastic waste is one of the biggest sustainability issues the world is facing today. Tackling it requires a collective approach,” said Nestlé CEO, Mark Schneider.

"We are committed to finding improved solutions to reduce, re-use and recycle. Our ambition is to achieve 100 per cent recyclable or reusable packaging by 2025."

The company focuses on three core areas: eliminate non-recyclable plastics; encourage the use of plastics that allow better recycling rates; and eliminate or change complex combinations of packaging materials.

Recognising the need for developing a circular economy, Nestlé says it is committed to playing an active role in the development of well-functioning collection, sorting and recycling schemes across the countries where it operates.

It also says it will work with value chain partners and industry associations to explore different packaging solutions to reduce plastic usage, facilitate recycling and develop new approaches to eliminate plastic waste;

It intends to label its plastic product packaging with recycling information to help consumers dispose of it in the right way, as well as promoting a market for recycled plastics by continuing to increase the proportion of recycled plastics in its packaging.

Nestlé says preventing packaging material ending up as waste, including in seas, oceans and waterways, is one of the key reasons behind its pledge.