Whiskas Pouches Now Recyclable in UK, Germany

Mars, Incorporated has introduced recyclable packaging for its Whiskas brand in the UK and Germany, replacing traditional multi-material pouches with mono polypropylene—a recyclable solution compatible with existing and emerging recycling infrastructure.

This innovation, part of the company’s Sustainable in a Generation Plan, is initially available via the Whiskas Tasty Mix Country Collection 12 Pack at major UK retailers and German supermarket chain Rewe.

The mono-material pouch replaces traditional plastic-aluminum formats that are difficult to recycle. By switching to a single-material design using heat-resistant polypropylene, the new packaging meets high sterilization standards while remaining recyclable. The change has resulted in a 46% reduction in the packaging’s carbon footprint.

“We want to contribute to a circular economy where packaging material never becomes waste,” said Elisabetta Pierangelo, VP R&D, Mars Pet Nutrition, in a July 2025 press release. “The transition to mono material pouches has required ground-breaking, innovative material science and we will continue to drive innovation in packaging to help build the world we want tomorrow.”

The Whiskas launch is just one part of Mars’ wider push to reduce plastic waste and design for recyclability across its global product portfolio. Other initiatives include:

• SHEBA and CESAR: Select wet food trays have transitioned to recyclable mono-material plastic formats, and Mars is piloting closed-loop pouch recycling in Germany and the Netherlands.
• M&M’S, SNICKERS, and TWIX: Mars Wrigley has begun testing paper-based packaging and recyclable mono-polypropylene wrappers in Australia and other markets.
• ORBIT gum: Packaging improvements have enhanced recyclability of plastic bottles in North America and Europe.
• Refill pilots: Mars is experimenting with refill stations for pet food and confectionery in the UK and France to explore zero-waste models.

Mars' ongoing initiatives support its broader goal to ensure that 100% of its packaging is recyclable, reusable, or compostable by the end of 2025, while also aiming to cut virgin plastic use by 25%. By 2023, 61% of its packaging met these criteria—an increase from 57% in 2022. Despite this progress, the average recycled content across Mars’ packaging remained low at 1.5%.

“We are making good progress, and we would expect that to continue to accelerate,” the company stated. “However, the design and infrastructure changes needed are taking longer than we anticipated when we signed the Ellen MacArthur Foundation Global Commitments, and we are unlikely to fully meet them by the end of 2025.”

According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, only 14% of plastic packaging globally is collected for recycling, with far less retained in high-quality form. Mars’ shift to mono-material and paper-based alternatives reflects a broader industry move toward packaging circularity and infrastructure compatibility.