Mars Incorporated plans to move its Mars Bar chocolate to paper-based packaging, with trial already being conducted in the United Kingdom. It will release a limited amount of paper-based packaged Mars Bar in Tesco stores over the next few months.
Mars, as part of its broader packaging strategy, aims to redesign its packaging for circularity and intends to make all of its packaging recyclable, reusable or compostable in the near future. Richard Sutherland-Moore, packaging expert at Mars-Wrigley’s Research & Development Center in Slough, UK, said they are exploring different types of alternative packaging solutions for their confectionary products. “For Mars bar, the challenge was to find the right paper packaging solution with an adequate level of barrier properties to protect the chocolate whilst guaranteeing the food safety, quality, and integrity of the product to prevent food waste.”
Adam Grant, general manager at Mars Wrigley UK, said Mars Incorporated is committed to scaling up viable solutions where recycling options exist and to testing, learning, partnering, and advocating where they don’t. “With our Mars bar pilot project, we are taking a big step to see how paper-based packaging works in everyday life. from the test, we will derive insights for our sustainable packaging strategy.” Grant pointed out that challenges may impact the pace of progress toward the company’s vision, but Mars Incorporated is very much committed.
Mars Incorporated’s efforts include the avoidance of unnecessary packaging, the use of recyclable mono-materials, the use of reusable packaging models, and the processing of recycled material in new packaging. Furthermore, the confectionary company is also working towards carbon neutrality.
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