Kirsty KawanoUnilever Japan has set itself the goal of shifting all of its product packaging away from polyethylene-terephthalate, or PET plastic, to 100% recycled plastic by the end of 2020. As a first step, from August 5, the packaging of new products under its Lux, Dove and Clear brands will be up to 95% recycled plastic.
The goal is part of the company’s latest Unilever Sustainable Living Plan. It excludes plastic that is currently technically difficult to convert due to additives such as colorants.
In its packaging and product displays, Unilever Japan aims to use less plastic, better plastic, or no plastic. This year it will especially focus on using better plastic, such as recycled and easy-to-recycle plastic.
Products that the company launches in the latter half of this year will be packaged in recycled plastic. These plastics has had their original purity and function restored by removing external impurities. It also uses advanced technology to eradicate impurities that have seeped into the resin due to vacuum packaging or high temperatures.
By using only resin from materials companies that have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Food Safety Authority, Unilever says it will shift to more sustainable packing while maintaining its existing quality, safety and design.
Unilever Japan launched its first sustainable living plan in 2010 with the aim of reducing its environmental impact and contributing to society while sustaining business growth. In January 2017, it set a goal to make its plastic packaging 100% reusable, recyclable and compostable by 2025, and to use at least 25% recycled plastic in its packaging by then.
To help it fulfill its plan, in January this year, the company joined the Loop™ circular shopping platform that supplies shoppers with everyday brands in multi-use packaging that Loop then collects, cleans and reuses.
[Reference website] Unilever Japan[Reference] Loop
