WIDESPREAD INNOVATION
Confectionery packaging is seeing improvements in several key areas.
By Bobby Douglas
In recent years, the confectionery market has proven to be a reliable canvas for packaging developers looking to test out innovative solutions. With the size of the global confectionery market projected to hit over $250 billion by 2033 (per Spherical Insights LLP), and with companies constantly looking to make new impressions on their customers, there is ample opportunity for confectionery packaging to make strides in accessibility, sustainability and versatility.
As an example, Nestlé recently trialed accessible QR codes for its KitKat and Quality Street brands, allowing visually impaired shoppers to gain product information with greater ease.
On the sustainability front, Amcor helped Mondelēz develop packaging made from recycled materials for its Cadbury core sharing bars. The new wrappers are being sold in the UK and Ireland.
Finally, Cox & Co developed new flow wrap packaging for chocolate bars. The new packaging is plastic-free and much easier to recycle.
Learn more about these innovations in confectionery packaging below.
Nestlé Confectionery Trials Accessible QR Codes for KitKat and Quality Street
Nestlé Confectionery is trialing accessible QR codes on two of its beloved brands, KitKat and Quality Street, to help shoppers who are living with sight loss access product information more easily.
The new QR codes are out now on KitKat two finger multipacks, while Quality Street will also host the accessible codes across its permanent range.
In the UK alone, more than two million people are living with sight loss, and around 340,000 of these people are registered as blind or partially sighted.
The innovative QR codes, powered by Zappar technology, allow blind and partially sighted shoppers to easily retrieve essential product information.
Shoppers will be able to scan the accessible QR codes on their phones using existing apps already used by the blind and partially sighted community, meaning there is no need for additional downloads.
READ MORE
When scanning the enhanced QR code, shoppers receive structured information tailored to their specific needs, including details on allergens, dietary requirements and usage instructions. The information is presented via standard accessible features such as large fonts and audible screen reader technology, ensuring accessibility for all.
Sarah Drakes, Sustainability Manager for Nestlé Confectionery UK & Ireland, said: “By introducing accessible QR codes on KitKat and Quality Street packs, we hope to make a significant and positive difference to the shopping experience of our blind and partially sighted customers.
“We’re looking forward to gathering the results of the trial and value the feedback from our loyal KitKat and Quality Street fans. Their input will guide us as we look at how to maximize packaging accessibility for all Nestlé Confectionery fans in the future.”
Nestlé Confectionery has worked closely with Zappar and the RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People) to roll out the new accessible QR codes.
Max Dawes, COO at Zappar, said: "We're thrilled to collaborate with Nestlé on this important initiative. By integrating accessible QR codes into beloved brands like KitKat and Quality Street, we're taking another significant step toward making access to product information a basic human right.”
John Worsfold, Head of Solutions Innovation at RNIB, said: “Collaborating with brands such as Nestlé is so important in our ongoing mission to highlight how the industry can raise its game and make packaging more accessible. Blind and partially sighted people should have the same freedom, independence and choice as sighted customers.
“We’re delighted that shoppers can now use Zappar technology through their smartphones to access important on pack information such as allergy information and dietary requirements on KitKat and Quality Street packs; including improving the tough decision-making process of which one to eat first by describing the shape and color of each sweet.”
The new packaging allows blind and partially sighted people to easily gain product information.
Courtesy of Nestlé
COLLAPSE ARTICLE ABOVE
Mondelēz Partners with Amcor to Use Recycled Packaging for Cadbury Sharing Bars
Mondelēz International announced that its Cadbury core sharing bars, manufactured in Bournville and Coolock and sold in the UK and Ireland, will be wrapped in 80% certified recycled plastic packaging, which can be attributed to plastic sourced from advanced recycling technology.
This move is the result of a collaboration with Amcor, a global leader in developing and producing more sustainable packaging solutions, and Jindal Films, an industry leader in the development and manufacture of recyclable films designed for flexible packaging.
Starting from 2025, in a phased approach, the project aims to cover approximately 300 million sharing bars across the UK&I Cadbury core tablet portfolio. The move will see the highest percentage of recycled flexible plastic used within the Cadbury brand globally. As part of this effort, 80% of the plastic used in the packaging can be attributed to recycled plastic through mass balance and ISCC (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification) PLUS certification.
READ MORE
Consumers can also access a new platform via an on-pack QR code to find out more about the sustainable packaging journey the Cadbury brand is taking and a consumer-friendly explanation about mass balance. The platform also features the Recycle Now® locator from WRAP, enabling consumers to check local collection and recycling points for a wide range of packaging materials.
“This is the latest move in our journey to increase our use of post-consumer recycled plastic across our Cadbury tablets portfolio in the UK&I,” said Louise Stigant, SVP and UK&I Managing Director, Mondelēz International.
Helen Bird, Head of Material System Transformation at WRAP, commented, “The biggest recycling challenge is plastic wrapping – collecting it at scale, sorting and recycling it into new things … ideally packaging. Recycling this type of plastic back into food packaging can only be achieved through advanced recycling technologies. WRAP is delighted to hear that UK Plastics Pact member Mondelēz is rolling out the use of certified recycled plastic in its Cadbury sharing bars. This is the future and must be scaled far and wide across other companies and products ranges.”
Kyra Chavalés, Global Key Account Manager at Amcor, said, “Mondelēz International’s implementation of the AmFiniti™ solution is a major step towards further advancing recycled plastic packaging across the global confectionery market. Amcor continues to work alongside our partners — such as Mondelēz — to enable brands to meet rising consumer demand for more responsible packaging, advance sustainability goals, and comply with upcoming EU regulations.”
Amcor’s AmFiniti™ solution converts post-consumer plastic waste into new products, providing Mondelēz International with a packaging solution that is made using 80% certified recycled plastic. This innovative process uses advanced recycling Material (ARM) that is suitable for food-grade applications.
The new wrappers are made from 80% certified recycled plastic.
Courtesy of Mondelēz International
COLLAPSE ARTICLE ABOVE
Cox & Co Develops Flow Wrap Chocolate Paper Packaging
For 18 months, Cox & Co has been working toward producing a paper flow wrap to replace its compostable plastic packaging. Working closely with a paper manufacturer in Sweden to find the right type of material and reconfiguring its flow wrap machine to accept it, last April saw the first 100% paper flow wrapped chocolate bar roll off the production line.
Offering a 12-month minimum shelf life, Cox & Co’s innovative new paper flow wrap solution is a huge step in the right direction to reducing the huge amount of chocolate packaging waste that currently ends up in landfill.
“Consumers are now actively seeking brands that take sustainability seriously and products that are easy to recycle,” explains Gavin Cox, founder of Cox & Co. “Chocolate is a popular household purchase and yet so little of the packaging can be easily recycled at curbside. We are set to change all that with our revolutionary new packaging, which offers a neat and tidy result without the use of plastic.”
As a smaller brand, Cox & Co has been able to pivot its production to test out new paper-based packaging solutions. “It’s taken many months of trial to get to this point, but it’s been worth the effort. Seeing that first bar roll off the production line was incredibly satisfying,” Cox adds.
READ MORE
At a time when the cost of cocoa has risen significantly because of poor harvests, this new packaging also allows the brand to reduce its packaging costs by a huge 35%, offsetting price rises and enabling it to continue to offer its bars at a competitive price.
The brand, which is part of a larger confectionery group, aims to roll the new packaging out across the board. “This will make a significant difference to our costs overall,” Cox explains. “We can effectively keep prices competitive whilst doing our bit to reduce our environmental impact; it’s a win-win.”
From start to finish, Cox & Co has been focused on producing chocolate that doesn’t make people choose between being ethical or enjoying an indulgent treat; this is a chocolate range that places equal importance on both. The new paper packaging will be used across its three flavors: Mint Crunch, Miso Caramel and Bee Pollen & Honey.
For more information on Cox & Co visit the website.
