Mondelēz International and Saica unveil innovative mono-paper multipack packaging for LU’s “Véritable Petit Beurre”, reducing virgin plastic usage by ~63% per pack

• By using this innovative mono-paper packaging for LU’s “Véritable Petit Beurre”, as well as “Petit Brun Extra” and “LU Thé” biscuits, Mondelēz International will reduce virgin plastic usage by ~63% per pack [1] in France, Belgium and the UK.
• These products feature new outer paper packaging, designed to be recycled and FSC^®certified [2].
• As a result of many years of R&D work destinated to create a mono-paper structure for secondary packaging, this technical achievement feat ensures recycling without compromising the freshness and quality of the products.

Mondelēz International, one of the world’s largest snacking companies with global and local iconic brands such as Oreo, LU and Milka, and Saica Group, one of the leading companies in packaging solutions, have joined forces to launch a new mono-paper-based product, designed for multipacks flow in the biscuits market. The iconic “Véritable Petit Beurre” from LU, along with “Petit Brun Extra” and “LU Thé” biscuits, produced at Mondelēz International’s plant in La Haye-Fouassière in France, are gradually hitting the shelves in France, Belgium and the UK since July 2024.

By using this innovative mono-paper packaging, Mondelēz International is reducing virgin plastic by ~63% per pack with the aim to save ~177 tons of virgin plastic by the end of 2024, compared to 2023, in France, Belgium and the UK. The new paper-based packaging is designed for recycling in the paper waste stream and has been produced with FSC^® certified paper and cold sealing functionality. The recyclability of this paper packaging has been tested positively following the CEPI (Confederation of European Paper Industries) Recyclability Test Method version 2.

This brand-new solution is manufactured on a horizontal packaging line (Horizontal Form Film Sealing). It ensures a high printing quality, optimal functionality, and ease-of-use for machine-packing lines. An outstanding characteristic of this development is that the paper flow packs can be produced at the same speed and performance as the previous ones. This has been made possible thanks to the strong collaboration between Mondelēz International, Saica and the packaging machine producer that developed modifications to achieve this performance using the selected paper and cold sealing types.

These efforts support Mondelēz International’s “Vision 2030” long-term growth strategy, which includes Sustainability as a critical pillar. In 2024, the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) validated Mondelēz International's near-term 2030 greenhouse gas reduction targets and its net-zero target by 2050, reinforcing the company's commitment to more sustainable snacking.

Mondelēz International is committed to continually improving its packaging to support a more circular economy. This is based on a three-part approach focusing on using packaging that is both lightweight and appropriate: reduce packaging, evolve packaging, and improve systems. As part of this journey, the company has set some ambitious goals:

• Approximately 98% or more of their packaging will be designed to be recyclable by 2025
• ~5% reduction in virgin plastic by 2025 [3]
• ~25% reduction in rigid virgin plastic by 2025 [3]

Aligned with Mondelēz International’s commitments to sustainability, Saica Group is fully committed to the transition towards a circular economy. To achieve this, Saica has set a series of ambitious targets in areas such as resource efficiency, circularity of materials, climate neutrality, and zero littering. Specifically, the flexible packaging business unit has committed:

• to design recycling options for 100% of its flexible packaging by 2025
• to introduce 5% of post-consumer recycled materials by weight in its products by 2025
• to reduce the plastic weight across its structures by an average of 20% by 2025
• to have 15% of the packaging by weight placed on the market made of paper structures by 2025

"Guided by our values and our aim to reduce our environmental impact, our R&D teams have been working for years to create a mono-paper structure for secondary packaging. This technical achievement feat ensures optimal recycling without compromising the freshness and quality of our products", commented Olivier Kintzig, Biscuit Packaging Director Europe, Mondelēz International.

“We are here to improve the sustainability and the recyclability of each product. We are all game changers, and our objective is to show people that we are here to find a solution to each problem and support our customers to achieve their sustainability goals”,said Marine Stochmil, Product Development & Application Engineer, Saica Flex in Luxembourg.