Mars Wrigley to invest further in paper packaging

Mars Wrigley Australia has announced that it will be investing a further $28.8 million in its Ballarat factory, building on the $67 million invested since 2021. This announcement comes as one of the factory’s biggest innovations, paper-based packaging, begins to roll out onto shelves across the country.

The company’s Mars Bar, Snickers and Milky Way chocolate snacks will switch to paper-based packaging which can be recycled via traditional kerbside recycling bins. This change is set to eliminate more than 360 tonnes of plastic from the company’s value chain.

This investment will enable Mars Wrigley to continue modernising its operations through equipment upgrades, further development of sustainable packaging solutions and greater innovation across its bar and bite-size portfolios.

Andrew Leakey, General Manager of Mars Wrigley, said, “Continued innovation and investment in sustainable solutions is critical to ensure that we can meet our 2025 packaging targets and commitments, as well as continuing to build Australia’s modern manufacturing capabilities and the future of Australian-made products.”

The team at Marys Wrigley Australia worked on this project for almost three years, according to Leakey. Many materials and approaches were trialled before the paper-based solution came to light, but what was “non-negotiable” in the process was to ensure the packaging was recyclable with current, accessible recycling infrastructure.

With Australia’s 2025 National Packaging Targets only two years away, it is important for companies to continue to drive forward sustainability by collaborating with other businesses, industries and government.

To develop its solution, Mars Wrigley worked with Amcor to find a material that would maintain the freshness of the product while being recyclable in existing recycling infrastructure.

Richard Smith, Amcor Director of Sustainability, said the company is proud to be a part of its customers’ solutions and help advance packaging technology that creates a circular economy.

Brooke Donnelly, Coles General Manager of Sustainability, said, “It’s encouraging to see Australian manufacturers take steps towards providing sustainable alternatives to plastic packaging. In order to drive further innovation and achieve mutual sustainability goals, it’s important for organisations to collaborate and work together. With businesses increasingly measured on their impact on society and the environment, sustainable innovation can be a key driver of both societal and commercial success.”

As part of its commitment to its $1 billion Sustainable in a Generation plan, Mars Wrigley aims to support and create a circular economy where packaging never becomes waste.

Image credit: Mars Wrigley Australia