Themultinationalpreviouslypledgedtomake
allitsplasticpackagingreusable,recyclableor
compostableby 2025 andtouseatleast25%
recycledplasticinpackagingbythatyear.
Thecompanyalsosaidit aimstocollect
andprocessmoreplasticpackagingthan
it sellsby2025.
“Plastichasitsplace,butthatplaceis notinthe
environment,”Jopesaid.“Wec n onlyeliminate
plasticwastebyactingfastandtakingradical
actionatallpointsintheplasticcycle.”
Hesaidmeetingthenewtargetswillrequire
“newandinnovativepackagingmaterials”anda
rapidincreaseinpackagingthatcanbereused
orrefilled.
Unileverhasalreadystartedsellingproducts
includingtoothbrushesmadeofbamboo,
andcardboarddeodorantsticksandrefillable
toothpastetablets.
Evenso,theAnglo-Dutchcompanysaysit
producessome700,000metrictonsofplastic
packagingannually.
ExpertsatanalyticsfirmGlobalDatasaythat
surveysshowyoungconsumersareinfluenced
byenvironmentalconsiderationswhentheybuy
something,soUnilever’smovemaybegoodfor
theitsbusiness,too.
Image: Hazel Thompson