Kraft Heinz will cut virgin plastic packaging 20% by 2030

The food products powerhouse Kraft Heinz Company will reduce the use of virgin plastic in its global packaging portfolio by 20% by 2030, the company said today.

The group aims to reach that goal by using less plastic, more recycled content, and alternatives to plastic, saying the strategy is a critical step in decreasing its use of fossil fuels and finding more sustainable product packaging options.

Specifically, Kraft Heinz plans to follow the U.S., Canada, and U.K. Plastic Pacts to increase the use of recycled content in its packaging. The company targets replacing 15% of its U.S. PET rigid plastic packaging portfolio with post-consumer recycled content by 2025.

The new plan also builds on its related company packaging goals, including aiming to make 100% recyclable, reusable or compostable packaging by 2025, and aiming to reach net-zero greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions by 2050, while halving emissions by 2030.

“To achieve our ESG goals, including to reach net-zero GHG emissions, we can’t continue to do things as we have in the past,” Rashida La Lande, Executive Vice President, Global General Counsel, and Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer at Kraft Heinz, said in a release. “We are investing in innovative technologies and partnerships that are critical to helping us redesign packaging, eliminate unnecessary plastic, increase our use of recycled content, and influence the adoption of reuse models. This is one more way we’re renovating our product portfolio to not only offer more sustainable options, but to deliver on our consumer expectations.”

Food shoppers will see the changes in a variety of ways, the company said:

• KRAFT Real Mayo and MIRACLE WHIP plan to transition packaging to 100% recycled content in the U.S. beginning in 2024

• HEINZ moved to 30% recycled content in most of its bottles in Brazil, the U.K., and Europe.

• HEINZ partnered with specialists in the U.K. to create recyclable HEINZ Beans Snap Pots from soft plastics that were returned to Tesco by consumers. The recyclable pots are food-safe and made with 39% recycled plastic.

• SHAKE ‘N BAKE removed its plastic “shaker” bag from its signature packaging last year to help eliminate 900,000 pounds of plastic waste annually.

• HEINZ launched an eco-friendly multipack paperboard sleeve to replace plastic shrink-wrap in the U.K.

• HEINZ announced a pilot with Pulpex in 2022 to develop a paper-based, renewable and recyclable bottle made from 100% sustainably sourced wood pulp for HEINZ Tomato Ketchup – a first in the sauce category.

• NABOB coffee in Canada replaced its non-recyclable flexible plastic coffee bags with recyclable canisters made from 80% paper fiber from renewable resources this year.