A snack bar wrapper that degrades in a marine environment within six months and can be used on a high-speed packaging line has been hailed as a “world first”.
Nestle launched the new recyclable paper snack bar YES! with a wrapper that is made from sustainable coated paper and is widely recyclable.
It comes after the brand pledged last year to make all of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025.
The confectionery firm said its research and development team needed to overcome more than 90 challenges to develop the material and adapt its current packaging machinery.
The 300 bars-per-minute "flow wrap cold seal" packing process has previously only been suitable for use with more durable plastic films and laminates.
But the team at Nestle created the paper wrapper and adapted production lines over 10 months to ensure the bars are kept in perfect condition during packaging, transport and storage.
It will be rolled out on the YES! fruit and nut-based bars from July and will carry the message "carefully wrapped in paper.” The wrapper is able to degrade in a marine environment within six months.
Jas Scott de Martinville, global confectionery research and development lead for Nestle, said: "Paper packaging has been used in chocolate-based products in the past.
"What's unique about this innovation is, first and foremost, running paper packaging at high speed on existing machinery, 300-bars-per-minute, that's the first bit of uniqueness; the second bit of uniqueness is guaranteeing a standard shelf-life of nine months, so having a barrier paper that keeps the product at its freshest over that time; and the third element of it is to ensure, as we run at these high speeds, the bars are properly sealed, again to ensure the product is kept at its freshest.
"It's a world-first in terms of the combination of these factors to bring to life this product."
Ms Scott de Martinville said the team had to overcome more than 90 different challenges to deliver the first recyclable paper packaging within 10 months.
She said speed was essential to ensure the company is on track to meet its 2025 target for wholly recyclable or reusable packaging.
She said: "In light of this commitment, it's really important that we start the journey now and start showing the way, leading the way, in terms of alternative packaging materials." She added: "Now that we have delivered our first, we will continue to work and we will be seeing more from Nestle in this domain."
Bruce Funnell, head of packaging at Nestle, said: "This has been a real first for us. Really this is the first confectionery product bar that's wrapped at high speed and is ensuring we have a good shelf life without compromise to the consumer."
Mr Funnell said the wrappers contained around 60 per cent recyclable fibres.
Michael Carroll, senior packaging specialist and lead on innovation and sustainability for Nestle, added that the packaging would degrade in a marine environment more quickly than current plastic packaging.
He said: "We know it will degrade in a marine environment within six months, which, compared to the flow wrap that it's currently in, it's about 450 years."
Additional reporting by PA
