Nestlé is reinforcing its commitment to sustainable packaging by creating the Nestlé Institute of Packaging Sciences. The institute is dedicated to the discovery and development of functional, safe and environmentally friendly packaging solutions.
The Nestlé Institute of Packaging Sciences will help the world’s largest food and beverage company minimize its impact on the environment, aligning with Nestlé’s goal to make its packaging 100 percent recyclable or reusable by 2025, according to Nestlé CEO Mark Schneider. “We are enhancing our research capabilities to develop new packaging materials and solutions,” Schneider says. “Through this, we hope to address the growing packaging waste problem — in particular plastics.”
The Nestlé Institute of Packaging Sciences is part of Nestlé’s global research organization. Located in Lausanne, Switzerland, the institute will employ about 50 people and include a state-of-the-art laboratory complex as well as facilities for rapid prototyping.
The institute will work with the company’s global R&D network, academic partners, suppliers and startups to evaluate the safety and functionality of various sustainable packaging materials. Research focus areas will include recyclable, biodegradable or compostable polymers and functional paper. It will also research new packaging concepts and technologies to increase the recyclability of plastic packaging. The new solutions will be tested in various product categories before they are rolled out across Nestlé’s global portfolio.
"Packaging plays a crucial role in helping us deliver safe and nutritious products to our consumers,” says Nestlé Chief Technology Officer Stefan Palzer. “The new Institute of Packaging Sciences will enable us to accelerate the redesign of our packaging solutions. Cutting-edge science as well as a close collaboration with globally leading academic institutions and industrial partners will deliver a pipeline of highly performing, environmentally friendly packaging solutions."
