Nestle India Rolls Out a New Scheme to Curb Plastic Waste

To curb plastic waste, Nestle India, one of the largest food companies in the country, has rolled out a new scheme that would certainly become a hit among consumers. Nestle India wants to make 100 per cent of packaging reusable or recyclable by 2025. Bring 10 empty Maggi packets and get one noodles' packet free is all that the brand wants its consumers to do through Maggi Wrappers Return Scheme.

Switching to Simpler Packaging

Nestle India eyes switching to mono-materials for packaging instead of multi-layer plastic packaging. By 2025, the brand wants to use 25% rPET or recycled PET (Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate) in its plastic bottles across Europe.  In addition, it will be collaborating with other industry players who will help the food and beverages brand develop better packaging waste management systems including effective recycling processes.

Through the Scheme, the food and beverages brand focusses on  - encouraging the use of plastics that allow for better recycling rates, eliminating non-recyclable plastics and working to remove or change complicated combinations of packaging materials such as laminates, paper/plastics, etc.

Nestlé India Spokesperson said, "Nestlé India as part of its various plastic waste management initiatives has also launched a Maggi Wrappers return scheme as a pilot project in Dehradun and Mussoorie for consumers, by working with around 250 retailers in the region, who shall collect Maggi Wrappers. Consumers are given a packet of Maggi Noodles for every 10 Maggi noodle wrappers they return. We are hopeful that this will bring about a behaviour change in consumers and help create awareness for responsibly disposing of plastic waste and prevent littering."

Why Nestle uses Plastics?

Nestle observes that food packaging plays an important role in protecting food and preventing food waste without compromising the safety and quality of its products; plastics are durable, safe, hygienic, lightweight and strong. It is also inexpensive. With new technology and innovations, there is a wider choice. Therefore, Nestle is turning toward more eco-friendly formats.

Tackling Plastic Pollution with the New Scheme

Nestle India, initially, will work with 250 retailers in and near Dehradun and Mussoorie on the Maggi Wrappers Return Scheme. Reports say that upon successful completion of the collection of the empty packets, the brand will hand over the plastics to the Indian Pollution Control Association so that it could be disposed of properly.

Earlier, in a joint research by Gati Foundation and Uttarakhand Environment Protection & Pollution Control Board, had reported Nestle’s Maggi, Parle’s Frooti and PepsiCo’s Lay’s were among the food and beverage brand names causing high plastic pollution. The research cited the reason that since the consumers were not properly disposing of the empty packets, there was a rise in plastic pollution, especially in and near the hill stations.