Nestlé Waters U.K. Advances Plan For Circular Plastics Economy

The Gatwick-based bottled water company has partnered with recycler Biffa in a program to collect recyclable PET bottles and reprocess them in the U.K. into rPET bottles. The partnership supports Nestlé Waters’ aim to collect as many bottles as it produces globally by 2030, enabling the company to significantly reduce the amount of virgin plastic it uses under its global commitment to reduce the use of virgin plastics by one third by 2025. Every BUXTON bottle will be made from 100 percent recycled rPET (recycled polyethylene terephthalate, by collecting recyclable PET bottles and reprocessing them here in the UK into rPET. Biffa has set a target to quadruple its plastic recycling by 2030, and the rPET supplied to Nestle Waters will come from the company’s new £27.5 million ($35 million) state-of-the-art plastic recycling facility in Seaham, County Durham. The plant has the capacity to process the equivalent of 1.3 billion plastic bottles a year and will supply recycled material to ...  More

"Biffa and Nestlé Waters U.K. partner to deliver 100 percent rPET made from British recycled plastic", Nestlé Waters, September 22, 2020

All Coca-Cola European Partners Bottles Now Made With 50 Percent rPET

The multinational bottler has partnered with Coca-Cola Great Britain is manufacturing all plastic bottles across its core brands with 50 percent recycled plastic (rPET) – more than 21,000 tons of recycled plastic per year. Labels on the bottles will inform customers of the change and encouraging them to recycle the bottle under a Deposit Return Scheme that is coupled with investment in infrastructure. According to the company, there isn’t enough food-grade recycled plastic available in the U.K. to switch to 100 percent rPET across its entire range. 

"Coca-Cola European Partners reaches sustainability milestone", Talking Retail , September 22, 2020

Ocean Spray, TerraCycle Launch Free Recycling Program

The Middleborough, Mass.-based agricultural cooperative says waste management company TerraCycle is launching a free recycling program that enables Ocean Spray customers to recycle flexible plastic Craisins dried cranberries and snack packaging for an alternative use. Participants in the program can send their Craisins flexible plastic packaging to TerraCycle, where the packaging is cleaned and melted into hard plastic that can be remolded into new recycled products, such as park benches and picnic tables. For each shipment of Craisins packaging sent to TerraCycle through the program, participants earn points that can be donated to a non-profit, school or charitable organization of their choice. The cooperative is also working with TerraCycle's new Loop platform to design and launch products in reusable packaging.

"Ocean Spray Advances Sustainable Packaging Strategy and Launches National Recycling Program with TerraCycle", PR Newswire , September 22, 2020

Evian Says All Of Its Bottles In The U.K. Are Made From Recycled Plastic

The French mineral water brand announced that the new bottles will be widely available in the U.K. beginning September 21, the first day of Recycle Week. Evian bottles were already 100 percent recyclable, but are also now made from 100 percent recycled plastic. An Evian marketing exec said the company is committed to providing “our iconic Evian water in a way that limits the use of virgin plastic.”

"Evian launches bottles made from 100 percent recycled plastic", Talking Retail, September 21, 2020

Nespresso Commits To Full Carbon Neutrality By 2022 Across Its Entire Supply Chain

The Nestlé (Lausanne, Switzerland) brand of capsule coffees and coffee makers has pledged that every cup of Nespresso coffee for at-home and professional customers will be carbon neutral by 2022. The company has been carbon neutral across its business operations since 2017, and the new commitment will tackle emissions that occur in its supply chain and product life cycle. The goal will be achieved by: the reduction of carbon emission; the planting of trees in and around coffee farms where Nespresso sources its coffee (insetting); and through support, and investment in high quality offsetting projects. Nespresso said a broader sustainability program to be announced later this year that will: preserve exceptional coffees, build a resilient and regenerative coffee agriculture system, drive sustainable livelihoods for farmers and build a circular business.

"Every cup of Nespresso coffee will be carbon neutral by 2022", Nestlé Nespresso, September 17, 2020

Scottish Snack Company Partners With Farmers To Put “Wonky” Cauliflower To Good Use

As recently as seven years ago, 40 percent of fruit and vegetable waste in the U.K. comprised ugly or “wonky” produce. But consumers, farmers, food makers, and retailers all seem to agree now that ugly vegetables are just as nutritious as the pretty ones, and their use will help reduce waste and make farming greener and more sustainable. An example is a Scottish snack company that has added a cauliflower chip (crisp) to its better-for-you snack line, which includes toasted coconut chips and roasted pulses. Nudie Snacks (Fife) produces the snacks in partnership with Growers Garden, a venture of the East of Scotland Growers collective of 16 farms. The crisps are made from 40 percent fresh, if wonky, cauliflower and come in cheese and caramelized onion and katsu curry flavors. They are low in sugar and roughly 40 percent lower in saturated fat than standard potato crisps.

"Ugly veg: How wonky cauliflowers and broccoli are helping to power a health snack revolution", The Courier, September 15, 2020

Pringles Hopes To Shed Its “Nightmare” Environmental Packaging Image

The Kellogg’s brand is revamping its iconic cylindrical packaging in the U.K. to be more environmentally friendly. Pringles was dubbed the greatest villain of the recycling world because of its foil-lined cardboard tubes, metal bases, tear-away lids, and plastic caps – “a nightmare to recycle due to the combination of materials present,” according to the Recycling Association. Kellogg’s is testing a tube made of widely recyclable paper, allowing customers to dispose of the packaging with their regular household recycling. The new tubes are being sold at three Tesco stores in East Anglia as part of a six-week trial. If successful, the tubes (with plastic and cardboard lids) will be introduced to shops more widely across Europe. Kellogg’s pledged in 2018 to make all its packaging reusable, recyclable, or compostable by end of 2025.

"Pringles trials eco-friendly packaging to allow snackers to put tubes in with their recycling", Industrial Goods Monitor Worldwide, September 12, 2020

Danone’s Sustainability Efforts Reach Down To Farm Level

As part of its pledge to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, and to achieve 100 percent B Corp. sustainability certification, the French multinational last year launched a coalition to look into the widespread adoption of regenerative agriculture practices in the dairy sector. The company’s global farming expertise manager says he is working on regenerative agriculture projects in 15 countries where Danone sources its milk and vegetable products. The mission, says Cees Jan Hollander, is to show farmers how they can benefit financially, socially, and ecologically by engaging in regenerative farming. “We want to motivate farmers to really work with soil … to make our soils more fertile, and put carbon back into the soil.” Hollander is also interested in technologies that promote emissions reduction among cattle, and to that end is monitoring pilot projects to see which feed additives might be effective and healthy for dairy cattle.

"Danone dares to dream of regenerative dairy", AgFunderNews, September 09, 2020

U.K.’s Highland Spring launches Sustainability Promotional Campaign

The London-based bottled water brand’s new ad campaign touts sustainability, product provenance, and stewardship and also promotes recycling. The “Made by Nature, Protected by Highland Spring” campaign begins running this month across digital channels, spotlighting the brand’s 100 percent recycled and recyclable eco bottle. and TV and radio presenter Helen Skelton. The campaign will run across all key consumer touchpoints and brand channels, including a national digital and social media campaign extending on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

"Highland Spring kicks off sustainability campaign", Talking Retail , September 08, 2020