Pot Noodle has launched a trial shifting its plastic to paper pot made with FSC certified paper in a move to reduce plastic usage.
Unilever general manager foods (nutrition) Andre Burger said the instant snack brand is “committed to reducing the plastic in our packaging and to a paper-based future for our pots, without compromising on the Pot Noodle experience our shoppers know and love.”
Pot Noodle’s packaging and manufacturing teams have been developing and refining the new paper pot for over three years, significantly reducing plastic usage in each pot, whilst ensuring the packaging still holds its shape and delivers the same eating experience.
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The new paper pot is rolling out now exclusively in Tesco, with a trial of 500,000 pots.
If the trial is successful – based on shopper feedback- the ambition is to move the full Pot Noodle range to paper pots, a move which once complete could remove 4,000 tonnes of virgin plastic each year.
The new pots can be recycled at home with other cardboard and paper packaging and include OPRL’s recycling labels to provide clear guidance to shoppers on how to dispose of their Pot Noodle packaging.
A single layer of ultra-thin plastic film is used to provide barrier protection, which ensures ingredients remain fresh and protects the paper when water is added but doesn’t inhibit the recyclability of the pot.
Soft plastics, like sachets, are not currently collected in recycling from homes in the UK but Pot Noodle sauce sachets can be taken in-store to soft plastic collection points in selected retailers.
Innovating with alternative materials – like paper – is a key part of Unilever’s sustainable packaging strategy and will play an important role in delivering the organisation’s commitment to halve their use of virgin plastic, alongside increasing use of recycled plastic, moving to ultra-concentrated formulas which use smaller bottles, and looking at other packaging innovations such as refillable bottles.
