Walkers launches new packaging made of 50 per cent recycled plastic

Walkers has announced a transformation of its Sunbites line with the launch of new packaging made from recycled plastic, and the entire line is now classified as non-HFSS. The new packaging is made from 50% recycled plastic and sourced using a mass-balanced approach, which means buying and using enough mass-balanced recycled plastic material to eliminate 200 tons of fossil-based plastic from Sunbites packaging by the end of 2025.

It is the latest in a series of packaging innovations by Walkers, with the brand recently launching new paper outer packaging for its entire Walkers Baked collection and a cardboard design for Walkers 20-bag multi-piece packs. The release is part of PepsiCo's Positive (pep+), Walkers parent company's health and sustainability plan, which includes an ambition to eliminate native fossil-based plastics from crisps and snack bags in Europe by 2030.

Sunbites joins Walkers' line-up of non-HFSS favourites including 45% Less Salt, Baked, Doritos Dippers and PopWorks, solidifying the brand's leadership in developing healthier, tastier snacks for people across the UK.

Last year, Walkers set a goal that snacks that are not HFSS or sold in portions of less than 100 calories would account for 50 percent of its sales by 2025. Eighteen months later, Walkers is more than halfway to that goal, with 30 percent of the snack brand's sales coming from healthier snacks.

Gareth Callan, UK Head of Sustainable Packaging at PepsiCo, said: "Sunbites' transformation is a sign of our continued commitment to delivering products that are better for people and the planet. We are proud of the progress we have made so far in reducing the fossil-based plastics we use and meeting the growing demand for healthier snack options, without sacrificing taste." We are working on reinventing our packaging. To help us do this at scale, we urge the UK government to recognise the role that chemical recycling and other emerging mechanical technologies can play in creating demand for food-contact soft plastics - including amending the plastic packaging levy to stimulate a circular economy for UK packaging."

As PepsiCo works to achieve these ambitious targets, it sees the expansion of food contact recycling technologies, such as chemical recycling, and associated recycling infrastructure playing a key role in developing capabilities to meet growing demand, while supporting a circular economy of packaging used in the UK food manufacturing industry.