Mondelēz International has revealed that its Cadbury core sharing bars, produced in Bournville and Coolock for the UK&I market, will be packaged in 80% certified recycled plastic. This initiative utilizes plastic sourced from advanced recycling technology.

Source: GroceryTrader

The collaboration involves Amcor, a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions, and Jindal Films, known for developing recyclable films for flexible packaging.

This is the latest move in our journey to increase our use of post-consumer recycled plastic across our Cadbury tablets portfolio in the UK&I. We remain focused on our long-term aim to offer more sustainable packaging, in particular flexible plastic packaging using advanced recycling technologies. For us this is based around a three-part approach aimed at reducing our packaging, evolving, and designing our packaging to be recyclable and improving systems by supporting the development of UK infrastructure and capabilities to collect, sort and recycle it back into food contact packaging.

Beginning in 2025, this initiative will be implemented in phases, aiming to encompass around 300 million sharing bars within the UK&I Cadbury core tablet range. This change will mark the highest percentage of recycled flexible plastic used within the Cadbury brand worldwide. Notably, 80% of the plastic in the packaging will be derived from recycled sources, verified through mass balance and ISCC (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification) PLUS certification.

Consumers will have the opportunity to learn about Cadbury's sustainable packaging journey through a new platform accessible via a QR code on the packaging. This platform provides a user-friendly explanation of mass balance and includes the Recycle Now® locator from WRAP, helping consumers find local collection and recycling points for various packaging materials.

The biggest recycling challenge is plastic wrapping – collecting it at scale, sorting and recycling it into new things – ideally packaging. Recycling this type of plastic back into food packaging can only be achieved through advanced recycling technologies. WRAP is delighted to hear that UK Plastics Pact member Mondelēz is rolling out the use of certified recycled plastic in its Cadbury sharing bars. This is the future and must be scaled far and wide across other companies and products ranges.

Amcor’s AmFiniti™ solution transforms post-consumer plastic waste into new products, allowing Mondelēz International to utilize packaging made from 80% certified recycled plastic. This innovative method employs advanced recycling materials (ARM) that are suitable for food-grade applications.