Berry Global Group is partnering with snack and treats leader Mars, Incorporated to introduce its popular pantry-sized treats in optimized polyethylene terephthalate (PET) jars. These jars are designed to be lighter and incorporate 15% post-consumer resin (PCR). With a shared goal of promoting sustainable packaging solutions, Berry and Mars will unveil the new jars for M&M’S®, SKITTLES®, and STARBURST® brands later this month.

Source: Berry Global

The easy-grip square jars are manufactured at Berry’s facility, utilizing a single-pellet, food-grade resin to ensure a clean and consistent substrate sourced from mechanical recycling. With a proven track record in lightweighting, Berry approached Mars with this innovative concept, including PCR. Employing its problem-solving and technical expertise, Berry is aiding Mars in advancing its sustainability objectives. Besides incorporating PCR, the jars are also widely recyclable.

By leveraging our material science expertise and technical resources, we proactively created a solution for Mars without disruption to product performance. Through partnerships and creative thinking such as this, customers look to Berry for unique solutions to their sustainability challenges.

Available in three sizes—60, 81, and 87 ounces—the jars maintain the same look and feel while eliminating approximately 300 tons of virgin plastic annually.

For the 81- and 87-ounce jars, Berry successfully reduced the weight by 10 grams each, resulting in savings of 374 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2). These CO2 savings are equivalent to:

• 42,084 gallons of gasoline consumed
• 45,494,350 smartphone charges
• Electricity usage for 72.8 homes over one year

At Mars, we want to contribute to a circular economy where packaging material never becomes waste, but is recycled, reused or composted. We have set an aggressive, science-based strategy to innovate our packaging and this change to 15% PCR for these large-format jars is a significant step towards a more sustainable future.

As a leader in the food packaging sector, Berry harnessed its unmatched global capabilities, sustainability leadership, and deep innovation expertise to deliver this more sustainable bottling solution to market.

Berry worked alongside Mars to create a jar that integrates smoothly into its production and distribution system while catering to consumer demand for a more sustainable packaging experience for M&M’S®, SKITTLES®, and STARBURST® brands.