Walkers, the UK's largest crisp brand, is set to eliminate 250 tonnes of plastic annually by introducing cardboard boxes for its 22 and 24-bag multi-packs. The £14 million investment will replace the outer plastic bags with more sustainable cardboard packaging, following a successful trial with Tesco.
The new packaging will roll out across all major UK supermarkets in the coming weeks. PepsiCo, Walkers' parent company, stated that the move is part of its broader strategy to eliminate virgin fossil-based plastics from all its snack bags in Europe by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions by 2040.
Simon Devaney, PepsiCo UK & Ireland Sustainable Packaging Director, described the investment as 'an important step forward' in reducing virgin plastic use and tackling the company's carbon footprint. The change comes four years after Walkers faced public criticism for producing over 7,000 non-recyclable crisp packets every minute.
In addition to the cardboard boxes, Walkers has invested in a new stretch film for pallet wrapping, which uses nanotechnology to create tiny air bubbles, reducing plastic usage by 40% while maintaining strength. This innovation is expected to cut annual carbon emissions by 465 tonnes.
PepsiCo aims to use 100% recycled or renewable content in all crisp and snack packets by 2030, eliminating virgin fossil-based plastic. The new bags will incorporate greater proportions of recyclable materials like polypropylene.
