Improve packaging performance

Good packaging is crucial to the safety and quality of food, but it shouldn’t end there. That’s why we’re focusing on making our packaging recyclable or reusable.

Nestlé’s vision of 'no packaging ending up in landfill' has helped it prioritize sustainable packaging through multi-pronged approach that encompasses reducing plastic usage, increasing recyclability, using recycled content wherever applicable and recovering plastic waste via Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR). This approach is in alignment to the company’s global commitments in making 90% of packaging recyclable and reduce virgin plastic use by one-third by 2025.

In 2024, 59% of the packaging of the portfolio of Nestlé India was designed for recycling, and virgin plastic usage was reduced by over 900 tonnes through initiatives like size reduction for sachets and the introduction of Thermofoam cups for MAGGI Cuppa. All chocolates and coffee jars now feature an increased amount of recycled polyethylene (PET) in their packaging. This drive aims to minimize environmental impact and meet consumer demand for eco-friendly packaging.

Our brands walking the talk:

MAGGI has integrated sustainability into its packaging and product development. The introduction of Thermofoam cups for MAGGI Cuppa products is a prime example. These cups are designed to be more sustainable, reducing the use of virgin plastic and promoting eco-friendly packaging solutions. In line with this objective, MAGGI also introduced an edible fork in partnership with Nestlé R&D India (a subsidiary of Nestlé S.A and a part of Nestlé’s global R&D network) and an Indian startup Trishula. Made from wheat flour, this innovative fork enhanced the delightful experience of savoring MAGGI Cuppa Noodles.

NESCAFÉ also embraced sustainability by optimizing its packaging and reducing the size of coffee bags and polybags. This reduction in packaging material has led to a significant decrease in the use of virgin plastic, contributing to reduction in Nestlé India's virgin plastic usage.

To summarize, the vision of none of our packaging ends up in landfill or as litter in the environment is being implementing the reduce-reuse-recycle model.

• Reduce : Nestlé India is committed to reducing virgin plastic by using best practices such as packaging optimization by source reduction and value engineering. The Company achieved the same through some key projects like, size reduction for Masala-e-Magic sachets, coffee bags and polybags and introducing Thermofoam cups for MAGGI Cuppa.
• Recycle : Nestlé India encourages the use of recycled material wherever applicable e.g.: 50% recycled PE in coffee secondary bags; 20% recycled PE in shrink film for ketchup; 100% recycled PET in coffee secondary containers70% /100% recycled PET in C&C secondary container.
• Recover : Nestlé India achieved Plastic Neutrality in 2020 and continues to be plastic neutral in 2024-2025 through Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) approved vendors and appropriate channels. The Company responsibly managed ~24,600 MT of post- consumer plastic packaging in 2024-2025. EPR target assigned by CPCB with help of various waste management agencies to collect and process equivalent amount of post-consumer plastic waste.

Nestlé India has a robust e-waste management standard operating procedure which ensures compliance to e-waste Management Rules 2016, including filing of requisite annual returns to State Pollution Control Boards (SPCB). Contracts for disposal of e-waste exist with authorized vendors and disposal is done within the stipulated time frames in a responsible manner. Similarly, disposal of hazardous waste, as laid down in the Hazardous Waste Management Rules, is done in line with the stipulated guidelines through authorized vendors and requisite Annual returns are filed with respective SPCBs.

Related content