Mondelez International intends to start incorporating recycled plastic into the European packaging for its Philadelphia cream cheese brand beginning in 2022.
The move is part of the global snack company’s commitment to use 5% recycled content in all of its plastic packaging. Mondelez said that increasing the use of recycled plastic drives demand for recycled material, reducing the need to produce new virgin material.
Adding recycled content to packaging also supports a circular economy for plastic, keeping valuable materials in circulation while reducing waste, the company said.
“Philadelphia’s anticipated use of recycled material is an important step in limiting this waste while supporting a closed loop system,” said Vince Gruber, executive vice president and president, Europe for Mondelez International. “It is vital to find and implement innovative, viable solutions to help stop plastic from getting into the environment, where it doesn’t belong.”
Mondelez plans to work with the plastic packaging products company Berry Global on the cream cheese containers.
One of Mondelez’s sustainability goals is to design 100% of its packaging to be recyclable and labeled with recycling information by 2025. Currently they report that 93% of their packaging is designed for recyclability.
In 2014, the group As You Sow engaged with the company, suggesting that they phase out unrecyclable packaging. Mondelez International announced their 2025 commitment in October 2018.