Mondelēz commits to virgin plastic reduction

The company also said it supported the introduction of a US Federal recycling scheme that considers the various types of plastic packaging currently used across the industry.

While it already claims to have a significantly below-sector-average use of plastics in its portfolio by weight, Mondelēz said it is demonstrating its resolve to continue to reduce plastic packaging.

By 2025, the company aims for an at least 25% reduction in virgin plastic use in its rigid plastic packaging or a 5% reduction in virgin plastic use in its overall plastic packaging portfolio, assuming constant portfolio mix.

Recycled content

Mondelēz said the virgin plastic use reduction target will be achieved through a combination of measures including elimination of plastic material, increased use of recycled content and the adoption of reuse models for the company’s portfolio where it makes sense to do so.

“Our support for a more sustainable future for plastics is clear​,” said Dirk Van de Put, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, for Mondelēz International. “We’re already one of the most efficient users of plastic packaging in the consumer goods space and we’ve made significant strides to reduce plastic packaging use, substitute plastics for other materials and design for recyclability​.”

The company said it currently invests more than $30m a year in technology, resources and recycling infrastructure and anticipates an acceleration in this investment over time. In total, between 2019 and 2025, Mondelēz anticipates spending approximately $300m in creating a sustainable future for plastics.

These commitments build on the company’s existing 2025 goals to use 5% recycled content by weight across its plastic packaging and to design all packaging for recyclability, a goal Mondelēz said it is on track to achieve with 94% of packaging already designed to be recycled.

“Given the strong progress we’ve made in packaging, and our focus on leading a sustainable future for snacking, we’re committing to reductions in virgin plastics use and investments in innovation to remove packaging or switch to more easily recyclable materials​,” said Van de Put.