Key actions to fight plastic pollution

Plastic waste that accumulates in landfills and the environment is one of the most pressing environmental issues of our time. 

Plastic waste endangers wildlife and threatens ecosystems and the food chain. We see plastic pollution as an urgent priority.  

We can’t solve this problem alone, so we are collaborating with other companies, research institutes and governments around the world to identify ways to collectively reduce plastic waste in the environment. 

Taking action to fight plastic pollution 

Our aim is to use less virgin fossil-fuel-based plastic in our packaging. By eliminating unnecessary plastic (from tear-off bands to single-use items like straws), introducing reusable and refillable alternatives and switching to paper, bio-based and biodegradable materials, we are already reducing our plastic footprint.  

As of the end of 2023, 83.5% of our plastic packaging could be recycled and we expect to reach more than 95% by 2025. We remain committed to achieving 100%. We are also on track to reduce the use of virgin plastic by one-third by 2025. 

But our actions extend beyond the materials we use in our packaging. To help prevent our packaging from ending up in landfills, we are working to make recycling easier, by supporting infrastructure improvements and encouraging people to do what they can to tackle plastic pollution. 

Creating change like this beyond our own operations requires strong collaboration. Nestlé is part of the Consumer Goods Forum’s Plastic Waste Coalition for Action, the World Economic Forum’s Global Plastic Action Partnership and Plastic PACTS around the world. This highlights our aim to lead voluntary action by companies in this space.  

In 2019, we joined the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's New Plastics Economy initiative. We pledged to work across the industry to create a circular economy for plastic, starting with packaging. We are eliminating unnecessary plastic in our packaging and innovating to make the plastic that we do need recyclable and reusable. 

We are continuing to support governments by actively advocating for harmonised and better regulation to accelerate infrastructure development. We advocate for a legally binding UN Treaty on Plastic Pollution and are an active member of advocacy group, the Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty.