Eco-efficient packaging
Packaging is essential for food safety. It also helps to avoid wastage before and after purchase by maintaining freshness for the consumer. Our strategy is based on optimising materials, developing eco-efficient packaging, and providing meaningful information to consumers on recycling and disposal.
A key initiative in 2008 was our collaboration on PIQET, an important new packaging ecodesign tool adopted by Nestlé. Design and technology innovations go hand in hand in order to reduce environmental impacts without compromising consumer needs.
Nestlé is firmly committed to finding packaging solutions that contribute to a better environment. The company supports an integrated approach that favours source reduction, reuse, recycling and energy recovery. Wherever possible we use recyclable packaging materials. For example, for Easter 2009, Nestlé UK replaced non-recyclable plastic with recyclable cardboard packaging in most of the 25 million Easter eggs it makes. Nestlé UK managed to use 30% less packaging overall, saving a huge 700 tonnes of packaging materials. Read the full case study.
Packaging Source Reduction
In 1991 Nestlé initiated a continuous review and assessment of packaging source reduction opportunities. As a result, packaging material savings from 1991 to 2008 amounted to 392 000 tonnes and CHF 683 million on a worldwide basis. We have reduced the volume of packaging material used per litre of bottled water by 20% over the last 5 years. This represents a saving of 44 000 tonnes of packaging material in 2008 alone.
Packaging Waste Recovery
Several countries, especially in Europe, have established national waste recovery schemes for the collection, separation and recovery of used packaging. Nestlé has participated actively in setting up and managing these schemes. Nestlé use recycled material whenever it makes sense and it is legally permitted.
Communicating environmental information on our packaging
We provide our consumers and business partners with clear, accurate environmental information based on scientific evidence. Different means exist to communicate this information efficiently. One option is the packaging itself. For example, our new NaturNes baby food pot shows that it requires less energy and produces fewer CO2 emissions than the previous version - over its life cycle from farm to spoon and including recovery of packaging. These results from the weight reduction achieved by replacing a glass jar with a plastic pot, as well as energy savings from the new manufacturing process and the energy recovered from used plastic pots. It has been substantiated by a Life Cycle Assessment, which follows the latest methods established in international standards (ISO 14040:2006 and ISO 14044:2006) and has been reviewed by a panel of four external experts. The results of the Life Cycle Assessment have been published in "The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment" ("Life cycle assessment of two baby food packaging alternatives: glass jars vs. plastic pots" - Ref. : DOI 10.1007/s11367-008-0052-6 - Abstract online at www.springerlink.com 
).
Nestlé is winning awards
We continue to investigate and use renewable resources: Nestlé was the first company in Europe to introduce a new biodegradable alternative to plastic for use in packaging of manufactured food products. Our leadership role in this area has been widely recognised: The Dairy Box biodegradable tray made from renewable resources won the Silver Star and "Best in Category" as "Best Packaging Innovation leading to a significant reduction in household waste" by The British Institute of Packaging, and the first place in the 'Environmental' category of the UK Packaging Awards 2006. The plantic tray is made from renewable resources and is biodegradable; it disintegrates in a compost heap and dissolves when in contact with water. For further information about the Plantic biodegradable tray please visit the Plantic Biodegradable Plastic FAQs.
In addition our development of innovative retail packaging uses 30% less material and has a higher compressive strength, even under monsoon conditions. The new tray and cover for Milo pouches received the Malaysia Star Packaging Award from FMM Packaging Council of Malaysia for higher production efficiency, lower cost and less waste.
Read the Perrier Vittel PET case study.