Nestlé’s Sustainable Packaging Initiative – Advancing Circular Packaging

Recommendation: initiëren een transition naar gerecycled materialen op Nestlé's verpakkingen en lanceert een noord regionale piloot die betrekking heeft op five streams, heralloceren resources om ontwerpen voor recyclebaarheid, en rapportage annually in de loop van de shelves aan leveranciers.

In dienst nemen innovative verpakkingskeuzes die steunen op watergedragen inks en vereenvoudigde coatings om de recycleerbaarheid te verbeteren, en vermeldend dat de doelstellingen van Nestlé onder meer omvatten promote circulair ontwerpen in alle merken. Dit advancing inspanning zal create nieuwe samenwerking met verpakkingsleveranciers om gemakkelijk scheidbare substraten te kwalificeren en contaminatie te verminderen, met driemaandelijkse mijlpalen gekoppeld aan shelves in belangrijke markten.

We meten vooruitgang aan de hand van five kerncijfers: recyclebaarheidsscore per materiaal, aandeel gerecycleerde inhoud, gewichtsvermindering per item, terugwinningspercentage aan het einde van de levensduur en programma's voor het retourneren van verpakkingen. Dit kader is bedoeld om te minimaliseren afvalproductie en voorkomen generatie van niet-recyclebaar afval en tegelijkertijd de productintegriteit te waarborgen. De multidisciplinaire teams van Nestlé zullen de coördinatie tussen regio's verzorgen om ervoor te zorgen resources zijn gericht op ingrijpende ontwerpwijzigingen per kwartaal, waarbij de resultaten worden gepubliceerd. annually.

Om de adoptie te schalen, afstemmen met companys verplichtingen en een governancemodel vast te stellen dat promoot beste praktijken. De noord markten zullen standaard verpakkingssjablonen en een bibliotheek van inks alternatieven, terwijl een driemaandelijkse evaluatie zorgt advancing verpakkingsresultaten en blijft shelves voorzien van meer duurzame opties.

Nesquik® Recyclebare krimpfolielabels en 100% Recyclebare verpakkingsvoortgang

Implementeer nu een 100% recycleprogramma voor Nesquik-dranken, ondersteund door een functionele oplossing met krimpsleeves die schaalbaar is van de fabrieksvloer tot de schappen en de consumentenstroom. Deze stap maakt van Nesquik een leider in circulaire verpakkingen en stelt duidelijke doelen voor de toekomst van verpakkingen. De sleeves zullen, waar mogelijk, gerecyclede materialen gebruiken, waardoor de verwerking aan het einde van de levensduur wordt gestroomlijnd.

Creëer een innovatief cross-functioneel team om substraten, inkten en labelconstructie te herontwerpen ter ondersteuning van recyclingstromen. Het doel is een eenvoudig systeem met weinig afval dat recycling gemakkelijk maakt voor consumenten met behoud van de productintegriteit. Inkten worden gecertificeerd voor recyclebaarheid en het shrink sleeve-materiaal wordt gekozen op basis van compatibiliteit met recyclingstromen, waardoor een schoon desleeving-proces aan het einde van de levensduur mogelijk wordt gemaakt. Deze inspanning maakt recycling eenvoudiger en stimuleert resultaten zonder de productie te onderbreken.

Om deze initiatief op te schalen, stemt het verpakkingsteam van het bedrijf fabrieksspecificaties, leverancierscontracten en logistiek op elkaar af, zodat elke faciliteit 100% recyclebare verpakkingen kan ondersteunen. Door samen te werken met verpakkingspartners en recyclers, kan Nesquiks een circulaire kringloop in stand houden en de verpakkingskosten voorspelbaar houden naarmate de volumes groeien. De verwachte resultaten omvatten hogere recyclingpercentages en een sterker systeem om dranken circulairder te maken.

Define Scope: Which Nesquik bottles and packaging layers are now recyclable

Recommendation: Transition Nesquik ready-to-drink bottles to a PET bottle with a standard recyclable cap and minimize the use of shrink-sleeve; this boosts recyclability across multiple markets and strengthens forward momentum toward circularity.

Scope today: The recyclable bottle layer is the PET container for milk-based ready-to-drink Nesquik products. The cap, typically PP or HDPE, is recyclable in most curbside programs across regions. The shrink-sleeve packaging layer adds complexity, and its recyclability depends on local facilities; sleeve removal or separate processing may be required in many programs.

Process considerations: Align the packaging stack with local recycling rules, track metric recyclability rates by market, and ensure inks and coatings on the bottle are environmentally friendly and do not hinder mechanical recycling. Direct printing or paper-based labels can improve recyclability where sleeves are not accepted.

Transition plan: Establish a transition timeline across packaging lines, aiming to remove shrink-sleeve on ready-to-drink nesquiks within 12–18 months where feasible and to test across multiple markets. Collect data, refine formulations, and minimize contamination to increase recovery rates; avoid materials that sink into landfills.

Layer details: The recyclable solution for nesquiks RTD includes a PET bottle, cap materials chosen for recyclability (PP or HDPE), and a label strategy that favors direct printing or paper-based labels over non-recyclable films. If a shrink-sleeve remains, ensure it uses a recyclable film and compatible inks, with clear sorting guidance in the process flow.

Expected outcomes: Recyclability gains across nesquiks ready-to-drink lineup; establish a metric for regional recyclability rates and track progress quarterly. This leadership position reinforces environmentally responsible packaging and advances circularity across markets.

Next steps: Align packaging specifications with suppliers, update internal guidelines, and run controlled tests in selected markets. Roll out gradual changes to minimize disruption while accelerating the transition toward a more recyclable, ready-to-drink solution.

Shrink-Sleeve Tech: Materials, design, and compatibility with recycling streams

Adopt PETG shrink sleeves on PET bottles, pair with water-based inks, and apply a removable adhesive so sleeves can be removed in the recycling stream, aligning with Nestlé’s forward packaging solutions and sustainable targets for circularity.

Materials and design should clearly avoid PVC, which many recyclers exclude from PET streams. PETG offers robust shrink performance, clarity, and compatibility with PET recycling streams when inks and adhesives are optimized, making the sleeve recyclable within the PET stream. In north facilities, validate the sleeve with local recyclers to confirm de-labeling success and minimal contamination; consider OPS only for specialty shapes where PETG won’t work. Verify compatibility with the PET stream by conducting a controlled de-labeling test. The sleeve should be designed to minimize metal pigments in inks to avoid sorting issues and to support efficient de-inking.

Ink strategy matters: prefer water-based or UV-curable inks that are de-inkable and low residue after washing. Align with a label design that keeps branding legible while enabling automated sorting. The functionality of the sleeve–its ease of removal and compatibility with existing bottle handling lines–must be tested across multiple bottle formats to verify performance in an industry-wide context. Significant gains come when inks and adhesive layers are chosen to minimize residue in the recycling stream and to support efficient de-inking.

Testing and metrics: run pilot tests with regional recyclers to measure sleeve-removal effectiveness, contamination levels, and impact on bottle purity. This data aligns with nestlés packaging guidelines and informs the broader nestlés strategy. Track a metric called circularity performance over years, documenting progress to a target of high recyclability share. Share learnings with mcleod and the teams involved, using this data to adjust materials, inks, and labeling guidelines. This approach keeps production focused on recyclable, sustainable outcomes and builds a closed-loop approach where sleeves are designed with recycling in mind.

Implementation plan: establish cross-functional teams across production, label, packaging, and sustainability to oversee a sleeve project from design to scale. Define clear milestones, such as material certification, print-ink compatibility, and recycling stream validation, and document results for industry-wide adoption. The goal is to reach a consistent, scalable solution in 5 years, with steady improvement in circularity metrics and stronger collaboration with suppliers.

Recycling Pathways: How sleeves integrate into curbside and industrial recycling

Kick off a north-focused sleeve recycling plan pairing curbside collection with industrial sorting. Teams from companys and partner networks align on labeling, routing, and process steps. Adopting a two-track approach accelerates uptake in both streams. Pilot in 4 municipalities and 6 industrial sites will cover roughly 1.2 million residents and 60 brands, spanning beverages including milk, mate, and other beverages with distinct flavours.

Label strategy centers on a universal sleeve label with resin code and a QR tag linking to a recyclability data set. Stating the recyclability rate on packaging helps consumers and collectors. This standard applies across the company and ensures consistent visibility across curbside and industrial sorting.

Materials strategy encourages mono-material sleeves and inks compatible with existing streams. By adopting recycled content in the outer layer, companys can increase recyclability while maintaining print quality for flavours and beverages. Ongoing transitioning to recycled inputs requires careful supplier coordination and continuous testing.

Operational framework: mcleod-guided governance provides clear milestones, with north teams sharing data weekly. The collaboration includes supplier partners and recycling facilities to streamline intake, reduce mis-sorting, and boost forward momentum. This includes streamlining intake and labeling processes.

Advancing circularity means generation-wide gains: the target is 40-60% recycled content in sleeves by 2026 in the north, rising to 70% for future beverages. This supports generation cycles across regions. The approach measures recyclability per generation and adjusts process steps to ensure consistent stream quality.

Ongoing data sharing, constant updates, and data constantly flows to refine sorting instructions and label clarity. By linking curbside and industrial streams, sleeves stay recycled across generations in a north market.

Measurement and Reporting: Metrics for tracking circularity and packaging impact

Establish a standardized, industry-wide metrics dashboard in the Nestlé system within 12 months to measure circularity and packaging impact. This solution will enable adopting a single source of truth that links production volumes, materials flows, footprint reductions, and recycled-content progress, with quarterly updates to governance bodies.

As mcleod notes, define eight core indicators to support system functionality and the data architecture behind the dashboard, and set targets that are auditable and industry-wide. Track circularity rate, recycled-content share, footprint per unit, materials diversity, recyclability score, end-of-life recovery rate, landfill diversion, and supplier packaging sustainability. Baselines should be established by category and region, with a plan to reach 50% recycled content by 2027, reduce footprint per unit by 15% by 2026, and achieve at least 75% end-of-life recovery across core SKUs. This approach applies to Nestlé flavours alongside beverages and foods, and potentially expands to other packaging formats as data quality improves.

This process includes stating progress publicly to external stakeholders to build trust. Institute a monthly cadence for data capture, quarterly validation, and routine audits to verify accuracy, with a centralized data model that supports cross-market comparisons, ensuring traceability from raw materials to finished packaging to support environmentally responsible decision-making while actively working to reduce emissions and material waste.

To move from concept to action, align packaging design with measured outcomes. Quantify the footprint reductions achieved by switching to recycled materials in flavours lines, choose packaging formats that maximize recyclability, and favor monomaterial options where feasible. Potentially, this approach will yield higher recovery rates and cost efficiencies as the materials system matures, while maintaining product quality.

Engage suppliers through a common metric schema and standardized material specifications. Launch an industry-wide pilot in key markets, share best practices, and apply a formal supplier scorecard to incentivize adoption. By enabling industry-wide benchmarking, Nestlé can scale progress across the value chain and accelerate using recycled and environmentally sound materials.

Next steps include mapping current packaging materials, establishing baselines, integrating data sources, and setting 12-month milestones for dashboard deployment and public reporting. The team will report progress towards reducing packaging footprint, increasing recycled content, and moving toward environmentally friendly packaging at scale, with clear accountability and ongoing improvements.

Guidance for Stakeholders: Best practices for retailers, converters, and consumers

Retailers should implement bottle-to-bottle recycling programs and track recycled content with suppliers, annually reporting progress to measure advancing circularity and sustainable packaging.

To create measurable action, align with company goals through cross-functional collaboration with teams across the value chain:

• Retailers: Establish a cross-functional team with procurement, store operations, logistics, and marketing to set concrete targets for recycled content, packaging reduction, and collection rates.
• Retailers: Publish a dashboard annually that shows recycled content levels, packaging weight changes, and bottle-to-bottle recovery progress, stating clear milestones for the year.
• Retailers: Label products clearly to indicate recyclable streams and provide consumer guidance through in-store displays and QR codes that link to recycling instructions.
• Retailers: Minimize material usage while maintaining functionality, including designing solutions that preserve product protection and reduce unnecessary packaging.
• Retailers: Build a reliable mate with converters and suppliers to ensure packaging is designed for recovery, using compatible closures and recyclable labels that do not contaminate streams.

Converters should optimize packaging for recyclability and reuse while supporting the generation of high-quality recycled material:

• Converters: Design packaging that is predominantly mono-material and easy to separate, including closures and labels that support bottle-to-bottle streams and minimize contamination.
• Converters: Invest in equipment and process improvements that raise the share of post-consumer recycled content reaching the line, with quality controls that sustain functionality and consumer acceptance.
• Converters: Test packaging in regional recycling streams and share results with retailers, stating performance data annually to guide scale-up and investment decisions.
• Converters: Choose adhesives and printing that are compatible with recycling and avoid components that hinder material recovery, including alternatives that boost environmental outcomes.
• Converters: Innovating packaging solutions that reduce virgin resin demand, including easy-to-recycle structures and clear specifications for downstream processing.

Consumers play a key role in closing the loop by actively participating in sorting, cleaning, and returning packaging:

• Consumers: Prefer products with high recycled content and packaging designed for bottle-to-bottle recycling, helping to advance environmental benefits and support circularity generation.
• Consumers: Rinse and separate packaging before disposal, keeping caps and labels in the correct stream to maintain the quality of recycled material.
• Consumers: Use store take-back points or municipal programs to ensure packaging enters the appropriate collection system, contributing to a reliable supply of recycled content for future generations.
• Consumers: Support brands and retailers that communicate clear instructions and provide guidance on where to recycle, including in-store and online resources that state actionable steps.
• Consumers: Stay informed about packaging changes and participate in feedback loops that help design teams continuously improve functionality while advancing sustainable packaging goals.

Voor een grotere impact binnen het hele bedrijf, stem de communicatie af op meetbare oplossingen en vooruitgang met jaarlijkse rapportage die de nadruk legt op vermindering van het gewicht van verpakkingen, toename van gerecycled materiaal, en wat nog verbeterd moet worden, waarbij altijd gestreefd wordt naar het minimaliseren van afval en het maximaliseren van de effectiviteit van fles-tot-fles recycling.