Smithers upcoming Specialty Papers Europe conference, taking place on 5-6 September 2023 in Vienna, Austria, is set to feature insights on sustainability in fibre-based materials from Nestlé and L’Oréal.
Kiril Dimitrov, Packaging Expert at Nestlé, will provide event delegates with an update on paper packaging innovations for their Quality Street and KitKat brands. Quality Street is the second Nestlé confectionery brand to make the move to paper. The landmark transition from dual foil and cellulose to recyclable FSC-certified paper packaging for its twist-wrapped sweets worldwide will remove almost 2.5 billion individual pieces of packaging material from its supply chain globally. In January 2023, KitKat introduced recyclable paper packaging as a pilot test for the brand in Australia. Kiril will discuss the challenges in finding the right paper packaging solution as part of his presentation.
About how Nestlé plans to achieve its sustainability goals to reduce the use of virgin plastic by a third by 2025, Kiril told Smithers: “We are focused on using less plastic through pack optimisation and reduction, use of recycled plastic material where legislation permits and food safety compliance is achieved, reuse and refill models, the redesign of our packaging by exploring alternatives to plastic materials, such as paper.”
L'Oréal’s Master Expert in Cellulosic Materials and Non-Plastic Biopolymers, Dr. David Guerrin, will discuss cellulosic fibre-based primary packaging. Dr. Guerrin’s presentation will cover L’Oréal’s environmental strategy through to 2030, specific requirements of primary packaging for cosmetics, and provide examples of launches and scientific challenges associated with the development of fibre-based primary packaging for cosmetics.
Both presentations will take place as part of the sustainability in fibre-based materials session, with the session also including a brand discussion panel with additional insights from both Kiril and Dr. Guerrin, plus the addition of Giacomo Canali, Research, Development and Quality Packaging Research and Sustainability Manager at Barilla.
Other topics being covered at the event includes market trends and new developments, innovative production processes and technologies, moulded pulp, recyclability and sustainable solutions, start-up innovations, barrier coating and new developments, food contact materials and safety.