Sustainable Packaging Innovations: 2025 and Beyond
With 2025 global sustainability deadlines officially underway, leading food and beverage companies are advancing beyond pledges and into packaging innovation. From paper wrappers to refillable formats and recycled plastics, brands are experimenting with diverse solutions to move towards a circular economy.
Paper-Based Transitions
Paper is emerging as a viable alternative to conventional plastics, particularly in confectionery and snack segments. Mars has led this charge with paper-based wrappers for popular products like Mars, Snickers, Kind and Milky Way. The company’s switch aims to cut virgin plastic usage and increase recyclability in real-world conditions.
“In the world where we want tomorrow, no packaging becomes waste,” said Allison Lin, Mars’ Global VP of Packaging Sustainability.
Nestlé has followed suit with paper-based innovations for Nesquik All Natural and YES! snack bars. These are not only recyclable in standard paper streams but also serve as proof of concept for scale-ready material innovation.
Recycled Plastic Integration
Recycled PET (rPET) remains a dominant material for beverage brands. Coca-Cola has transitioned all 20-ounce bottles in the U.S. to 100% rPET, a milestone in its goal to use 35–40% recycled content in all primary packaging by 2035.
Danone’s evian brand has similarly moved toward 100% rPET, while its broader Waters portfolio targets 50% rPET use by 2025.
Unilever and PepsiCo are also scaling up recycled content. Unilever reports 22% recycled plastic use in its packaging, close to its 2025 goal of 25%. PepsiCo, on a parallel track, aims to reduce virgin plastic by incorporating similar percentages across its snack and beverage divisions.
Mono-Material and Advanced Films
In the realm of film-based packaging, mono-materials are replacing complex multi-layer formats that are difficult to recycle. Mondeléz has introduced mono-material recyclable wrappers for Cadbury Dairy Milk and is piloting advanced recycling technology for Triscuit packaging—an effort to shift from aspiration to implementation.
Mars, in partnership with Berry Global, has also created flexible packaging made from 100% recycled materials. This initiative alone eliminates over 1,300 metric tons of virgin plastic annually.
Reuse, Refill & Delivery-Optimized Packaging
Beyond material changes, companies are piloting systemic packaging models. Unilever is investing in refill stations for personal care and household products, while PepsiCo is testing corrugated cardboard insulation packs for snacks—designed to replace traditional multi-material coolers.
These reuse-based models aim to address sustainability through convenience and circularity, a crucial consideration in urban and high-density markets.
Towards 100% Recyclability
While the innovations are diverse, the end goal remains consistent: full recyclability. Nestlé, Unilever, and Mondeléz aim to make 100% of their packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025. Progress is visible—though not without challenges. Differences in recycling infrastructure, cost barriers, and consumer habits still pose obstacles.
“Plastic waste is one of the biggest sustainability issues the world is facing today,” said Mark Schneider, CEO of Nestlé. “We are committed to finding improved solutions to reduce, reuse and recycle.”
With 2025 here, sustainability is a strategic battleground where design, policy, and innovation converge, signaling a decisive shift toward long-term circularity.
Brand Sustainability Snapshots
• Nestlé: Over 85% packaging designed for recycling; committed to cutting virgin plastic use by 33%.
• Unilever: 22% recycled plastic in packaging; 23% reduction in virgin plastic use.
• Mars: 61% packaging circularity; 1.5% recycled content; major shift to paper wrappers.
• Mondeléz: Majority of packaging now recyclable; advanced mono-material pilots underway.
• Danone: Nearing 25% recycled plastic target; 50% rPET in water brands like evian.
• PepsiCo: 92% of packaging recyclable; 98% designed for recyclability by end of 2025.
• Coca-Cola: 100% rPET in U.S. 20-ounce bottles; aiming for 35–40% recycled content globally by 2035.
Have you transitioned to more sustainable or eco-friendly packaging? Share your story with us—we’d be pleased to highlight your sustainability efforts. usha@packagingmea.com