Ferrero Group introduces new recyclable box

In 2019 The Ferrero Group announced its commitment to making 100% of its packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025. As part of its journey to more sustainable packaging, the company has introduced a new eco-designed box for its Ferrero Rocher range.

Ferrero Rocher will begin to introduce the new eco-designed boxes in a phased roll out around the world starting from September 2021 and will start with its best-selling compact boxes, the 16-piece, and 30-piece.

The new Ferrero Rocher eco-designed boxes will be made from polypropylene (PP), which enables easier recycling globally. In addition to being easier to recycle the new innovation will reduce the use of plastic and the impact on the climate. For example, the new boxes use 40% less plastic for the 16-piece, and 38% less plastic for the 30-piece (1).

Thanks to the new eco-designed 16-piece and 30-piece boxes, Ferrero Rocher will save approximately 2,000 tonnes of plastics globally in its first year, from the introduction in September 2021. Once the implementation of the new eco-designed boxes will be complete across the entire Ferrero Rocher box portfolio, the full impact of the project is estimated at approximately 10,000 tonnes less plastic used (2).

Ferrero finds the right plastic resin fit with Milliken

To find the new box, the R&D team at Ferrero have worked to develop and trial over 29 different plastic resins working with materials expert – Milliken. The result is a new eco-designed box that will progressively reduce the use of plastic and impact on the climate while maintaining the iconic box’s transparency, and guaranteeing the same high-quality product.

The new 16-piece and 30-piece boxes also have at least 30% lower carbon footprint. Additionally, when a box is recycled, it has an even lower climate impact – reaching a 70% lower carbon footprint versus the previous box (3).

Jerome Gray, president Global Marketing Premium Chocolate of The Ferrero Group, said, “We are proud to make this important stride in our journey towards more sustainable packaging, as part of the Ferrero 2025 packaging commitment. For nearly 40 years, Ferrero Rocher has been helping our consumers to celebrate life’s golden moments. Today, our new eco-designed box enriches those experiences further by making them more sustainable. So, our consumers can enjoy and savor Ferrero Rocher with their loved ones, while being confident that we are doing our part to reduce the impact of our packaging.”

Fabio Mora, Global Packaging director of The Ferrero Group, said, “The Ferrero Rocher eco-designed box is a clear example of our dedication to enhancing packaging circularity. Packaging is a complex issue that we are committed to working in close collaboration to build a more circular economy through packaging-related strategies, joining forces with governments, manufacturers, suppliers, waste disposal management companies, NGOs, and others. In this instance, we worked in close partnership with Milliken who brought their innovative and critical thinking to help reduce the environmental impact through the use of new polypropylene material for the Ferrero Rocher box.”

The new eco-designed Ferrero Rocher box is an important first step on the brand’s journey towards more sustainable packaging. All box formats and packaging components will evolve towards more sustainable packaging by 2025, in accordance with the Ferrero company commitment.

Findings are based on a comparative life cycle assessment of Ferrero Rocher’s packaging (plastic box only), conducted in 2020/Q1 2021 by a third party.

1.  Based on 20/21 Ferrero internal data, excluding growth. Estimate based on the implementation of the new eco-designed boxes across the entire Ferrero Rocher box portfolio.
2.  Findings are based on a comparative life cycle assessment of Ferrero Rocher’s packaging (plastic box only), conducted in 2020/Q1 2021 by a third party following the methodological Guidelines of the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) initiative.
3. The 30% emissions reduction considers a worst-case non-recycled end-of-life scenario for the new Ferrero Rocher box (incineration without energy recovery). The 70% emissions reduction considers a best-case full recycling scenario for the new box.