Mars Wrigley Australia has announced plans to begin wrapping its core range of Mars, Snickers and Milky Way bars in recyclable, paper-based packaging from April 2023.

It’s a world first for the multinational manufacturer, which expects to eliminate 360 tonnes of plastic in the process, “enough to stretch from Melbourne to London and back”.

“We know we have a responsibility and role to play in reducing our environmental impact, because the world we want tomorrow is one where our people and planet thrive,” Mars Wrigley’s announcement reads.

This announcement comes just after the indefinite suspension of REDcycle’s soft plastics collection program. As a result, consumers can no longer leave soft plastic waste in REDcycle drop off points at participating supermarkets around Australia.

“Designed and developed in Australia by our research and development team, we are ensuring consumers can recycle our packaging easily via kerbside recycling – no more returning to store, just enjoy and throw the wrapper in your yellow-lid recycling bin,” says Mars Wrigley.

This is the “first step of many” in the confectionary giant’s “sustainability journey”, with plans for all chocolate produced by the company to be packed in recyclable, reusable or compostable material by 2025.

While some Linkedin users have left comments about greenwashing, head of Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) Chris Foley praised the move by Mars Wrigley.

“Mars Wrigley’s switch to paper-based packaging sets an excellent example to all businesses in Australia of the critical role innovative packaging formats that are more readily recyclable play in meeting the 2025 National Packaging Targets,” says Foley.

Image: Mars Wrigley