Weetabix reduces plastic packaging, unveils latest Sustainability Report

Weetabix Food Company has reduced its plastic use by six per cent in the last year, with 92 per cent of its packaging now fully recyclable.

The results are shown in the company’s second sustainability report, which outlines its commitment to supporting people, society and the environment through British, locally sourced products.

Plastic reduction has been driven by creating smaller wrappers for Alpen Light bars, saving 24 tonnes of plastic per year, and removing 28 per cent of plastic in its Weetabix wrappers, saving 102 tonnes of plastic per year. The company is also on track to reduce the carbon footprint of its packaging by 20 per cent in the next year.

Earlier this year, Weetabix On The Go redesigned its bottles to make them 100 per cent recyclable with the bottle, cap and sleeve all able to be recycled together. The breakfast drink also moved to a clear PET bottle, which is made from 30 per cent recycled plastic, with scope to bring that up to 50 per cent or higher in the future.

John Petre, Supply Chain and Technical Director, who leads the Weetabix Sustainability Steering Group said: “We’ve made great progress in the past year through challenging times. We are building on a heritage of responsible, sustainable business that goes right into the DNA of this organisation.

“We’re committed to supporting our local community, our people and our customers, whether that’s sourcing all the wheat for Weetabix original from within a 50 mile radius of our factory in Burton Latimer or reducing the impact of our packaging and our carbon footprint.

“It’s heartening to see how invested our employees are in the sustainability of our business, and while there are many challenges ahead, one thing for certain is that we won’t change our focus and commitment to our sustainability goals in the years ahead.”

The full report can be downloaded here.