KitKat Japan is replacing plastic wrappers with paper versions you can fold into origami
Get practising your paper cranes
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Kelly Rissman
US News Reporter
Nestlé Japan has announced it is launching recyclable paper packaging for its KitKat products in a bid to tackle plastic waste.
Japan is the biggest market for KitKats and, according to reports, around 4m KitKat Minis are sold across the country every day.
While they might be miniature in size, the impact of millions of plastic wrappers accumulating in landfill has been enough to persuade Nestlé to reconsider the way it packages its most popular product.
As a result, the confectionery company is discontinuing the use of plastic packaging and replacing it with a paper version that is both environmentally friendly and fun.
You see, the new wrappers aren’t made from any old paper.
The updated versions will also come with instructions on how to make an origami paper crane to encourage customers to use their packaging to get creative instead of just throwing it away.
As well as being creative and possibly kick-starting a new hobby, Nestlé has estimated that the new initiative will help to reduce the brand’s plastic waste by approximately 380 tonnes per year.
The first phase in this new packaging roll-out will cover the KitKat Mini’s five top-selling flavours, including the original, matcha, and otona no amasa (meaning adult-level sweetness or less sweet).
The initiative is part of the company’s commitment to only use 100 per cent recyclable and reusable packaging by 2025.
Earlier this year, Nestlé launched a new snack bar that is sold in completely recyclable packaging which degrades in a marine environment within six months.
Similarly, the brand also unveiled its first chocolate bar made without any refined sugar last month.
Patrice Bula, head of strategic business units, marketing and sales at Nestlé, said in a statement: “We’re proud to bring chocolate lovers a new chocolate made entirely from the cocoa fruit without adding refined sugar.
“This is a real innovation which uses the natural sweetness of the cocoa pulp to provide a pure, novel chocolate experience.“
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