Nestle Makes Selection Boxes Recyclable and Appealing
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Andy McQuade from Nestle talks about reduced packaging Christmas selection boxes
Our guest post this week is from Andy McQuade, Seasonal Marketing Manager from Nestlé Confectionery.
Andy has been the Nestle UK & Ireland Seasonal Brand Manager for 3 years working on developing the seasonal ranges for Easter and Christmas. Previous to this, Andy worked in packaging development.
Andy was born in York and joined Nestle from school and is sharing the latest news about their reduced Christmas packaging this year. Back in April, Nancy Powell answered your questions on Easter egg packaging.
This Christmas Nestlé Confectionery will be the first major confectionery manufacturer to move from plastic to cardboard inserts in its selection boxes. This is the second stage in a two-year project to drastically reduce packaging on selection boxes; in 2009 we will save almost 200 tonnes of packaging in our Christmas selection boxes compared to 2007 making 95% of the material used recyclable; a win for consumers and the environment.
The boxes are available in three formats; a Santa themed selection and polar bear themed selection for mum’s buying for younger children, and a larger box designed for a broader demographic. Each has a range of well-loved Nestlé confectionery, specially selected to maximise gifting appeal. The Santa selection has no artificial colours or flavours.
Last year, we reduced the size of Christmas selection boxes by 40%. Building on this in 2009, the plastic insert has been replaced with a card presentation tray, making the box more easily recyclable.
The move is part of Nestlé’s ongoing programme to reduce packaging and make products more easily recyclable – and not just at Christmas. At Easter we replaced plastic inserts with cardboard baskets in 80% of our Easter eggs.
Overall, the reduction in the amount of Easter eggs packaging and the switch to cardboard inserts has led to a weight reduction of around 700 tonnes, and more than 90% of the primary packaging is easily recyclable.
The new venture significantly reduces the need to transport stock around the country, cutting the need for around 4,000 lorry journeys per year, equivalent to 300,000 lorry miles.
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Hi Mrs Green,
Nestle are leading from the front in sustainable packaging for Easter and Christmas, ending the dependency on plastic packaging (waste). Cadbury has some good examples as well with tinfoil seasonal figures used by both companies. Other companies have percentage reductions in plastic which is a positive but why use it at all, when it is cheaper to avoid it, and the negative waste outcome.
Enthusiasts have plenty of good options, much improved from last year, and with more sure to come to meet consumer demand in the years ahead.
I’ve noticed that there don’t seem to be so many ‘tins’ of chocolates and biscuits this year, or maybe I’ve just been in the wrong shops!
I’ve also been getting a bit pieved about Mars Celebrations. We’ve been fortunate (maybe!!) that people have given us tubs of these and the information on the outside of the 05 plastic tub says that they are reusable, washable, and can be used in the microwave and freezer. But like the Pringles tubs that you were reusing Mrs G, there is a limit to how many any household can sensibly reuse. They’re not even particulary attractive tubs as the writing and pictures are printed onto the plastic and always scream cholcolate! Maybe if they were on removable labels, their uses would increase.
I wonder if actual tins which could ultimately go into the metal recycling, would be a better option.
There have always been a few good choices for seasonal chocolates. I’ve been impressed with some of the Lindt products. Their chocolate rabbits at Easter are wrapped in recyclable foil with a small ribbon, and much the same with their Christmas bells and reindeer.
although i will not be buying chocolates, i may receive some, so i would like to know if Nestle’s USA division is as active as the Brit version.
let’s put a bee in their nest and activate the green over here… how many lorries could we spare? i mean truckloads..of course.
actually i have seen much fewer boxes of chocolates on shelf; cocoa depression, or signs of sad economy?
as long as they are green, i’ m in the pink.
I just had to buy a box of Quality Street today. I was so impressed with their instructions for recycling.
“Once you’ve enjoyed the sweets, seperate the coloured outer wrapper and recycle the foil as you would a drinks can.
You can put the coloured outer wrappers on your compost, where they’ll decompose. This is a much greener way of getting rid of them and it’ll help your plants grow strong.
Remove the window from the empty carton and put the window bit in the bin. The card can then be quickly and easily recycled. Simply put it in your local recycling bamk or kerb-side recycling box.
By doing these things you’ll be doing your bit to help look after the planet, so why not treat yourself …. Quality Street anyone?”
It all sounds hunky dory doesn’t it? I know that many of you had issues with the compostable plastics though. I’ve searched the box and there aren’t any other details about the plastic.
Now if only Cadbury would follow Nestles lead, we could buy selection boxes that are recyclable and not embroiled in human rights issues. Plus Cadburys are at least making a move towards Fair trade.
All credit to Nestle for these initiatives, but if they are that bothered about the planet I think there are a few other areas that could take some improvement… I still won’t be buying Nestle. (But then I don’t buy selection packs or boxes of chocolates anyway. Mean mummy. )