Mondelez International achieves plastic packaging goals in the Philippines

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Global snacking leader Mondelez International strives to advance its support for a more circular economy for packaging in the Philippines.

Recently, the company has made strides to advance more sustainable snacking by reducing its packaging use, evolving its packaging and helping improve diversion systems in the country. Most notably, the company has achieved its commitment to collect and divert the equivalent volumes of its post-consumer plastic packaging used in the Philippines in 2023.

This is in support of the local Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Law, which obliges companies to be responsible for the plastic they use in their operations.

As part of its mission to lead the future of snacking, Mondelez International empowers people to snack right, by offering the right snack, for the right moment, and made the right way. Making snacks the right way for both the people and the planet means focusing on making snacks with more sustainable ingredients as well as supporting a more circular economy for packaging.

Mondelez International is the maker of Oreo, Toblerone, Cadbury Dairy Milk, Tang, Eden Cheese, Cheez Whiz and Tiger Biscuits.

Reducing packaging

Mondelez International aims to utilize packaging that is light, safe and, when appropriate, can be reused or recycled.

Globally, the company aims to reduce 5% of its virgin plastic packaging by 2025.

In 2023, the company has reduced the amount of plastic packaging it uses for its products in Southeast Asia, particularly for its brands Oreo Mini and Chips Ahoy!. This was achieved through redesigning the packaging to be more efficient and removing the use of plastic trays for some of its products.

Evolving packaging

Recently, the company has released its 2023 global ESG report entitled the Snacking Made Right.

In it, the Mondelez International shares its 2025 goal to have approximately 98% or more of its packaging designed to be recyclable.

As of 2023, 96% of its packaging worldwide has been designed to be recyclable, while it continues to work on its goal of ensuring 5% of its plastic packaging worldwide will be made of recycled content. Designed to be recyclable means the materials used in its packaging have available waste streams for easier recycling and diversion.

Improving systems

Systems and infrastructure are critical for packaging materials to be recycled in practice. As such, along with local market engagement, the company continues to play an active role in the UN Global Treaty for Plastic Pollution via the Business Coalition.

In the Philippines, Mondelez International has partnered with Plastic Credit Exchange (PCX) with a goal for the recovery and diversion of all the equivalent in-market yearly plastic packaging output for 2023 and now for 2024 as well.

As part of the then voluntary commitment to recycle plastic, the company started collecting and diverting plastic packaging as early as 2019. In 2023 during the first year of the EPR Law, the company was able to collect and divert the equivalent volumes of all its post-consumer plastic packaging used during the year.

The partnership between Mondelez International and PCX also supports the latter's Aling Tindera program, which provides livelihood for sari-sari store owners who use their enterprises as plastic collection sites.

The company has also invested in Circulate Capital in Southeast Asia and India, a fund which aims to enhance focus on the physical collection of flexible films-lightweight, multi-layer plastics used by the snacking industry-that have traditionally been more difficult to collect, sort, recycle and reuse.

In 2023, Circulate Capital has helped Mondelez International prevent an additional plastic pollution of 4,201 metric tons across Southeast Asia and India.

Mondelez International's efforts underscore its dedication to environmental responsibility and sustainability leadership. By prioritizing greener practices and embracing innovation, the company continues to set the standard for sustainable snacking in the country.