(Credit: Nature Valley)Nature Valley has launched the first plastic film wrapper designated as Store Drop-Off recyclable by How2Recycle with the brand’s Crunchy granola bar. The newly packaged bars are on shelves this spring and bring Nature Valley closer to achieving its commitment to 100% recyclable packaging by 2025. By purposefully not patenting this wrapper, Nature Valley says it is welcoming other food brands to apply the technology to their product portfolios.
With this new packaging, Nature Valley plans to educate consumers about the Store Drop-Off recycling system, re-engage their interest in reducing landfilled material and stimulate recycling. According to the Hartman Group’s Sustainability 2019 report, 70% of the US population want to decrease plastic waste but don’t know how, yet over 90% of Americans are within 10 miles of a Store Drop-Off recycling location. That is a potential 295 million people who could participate in Store Drop-Off recycling.
Developed in collaboration with Nature Valley R&D scientists and packaging partners, the wrapper uses advanced film processing with unique polyethylene polymers. Once recycled, the materials can be used to create new products like synthetic lumber and decking equipment. This new packaging offers the barrier needed to preserve the product’s freshness and does not compromise the product’s shelf life. The goal is to implement the wrapper technology across the brand’s entire portfolio of snacks by 2025 and extend to other General Mills brands and products.
Nature Valley, along with other General Mills brands, are working with leading non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to create infrastructure for plastic film recycling, such as "The Recycling Partnership" and the "Wrap Recycling Action Program" (W.R.A.P.). To help encourage Store Drop-Off recycling of Nature Valley wrappers and other eligible plastics, the brand has created a multi-channel consumer education plan to drive awareness of Store Drop-Off recycling and promote small consumer actions that can lead to big impact in the world.
