Mars Wrigley has taken the next step in its commitment to more sustainable packaging by adapting its M&M'S theater boxes in the U.S.
M&M'S theater boxes will now be fully recyclable with the removal of the traditional plastic overwrap. This sustainability step eliminates 98 metric tons of plastic waste a year. The updated packaging has been rolling onto shelves since late September and is now available in theaters and major retailers nationwide.
"At Mars Wrigley, we're committed to creating better moments by improving our societal impact and helping protect the environment through more sustainable packaging," said Justin Comes, v.p. of R&D, Mars Wrigley North America. "Removing 98 tons of plastic – equal to the weight of a space shuttle headed into orbit – from our M&M'S theater boxes in the U.S. is an important sustainability step for one of America's best and most famous brands to help build a circular economy where packaging never becomes waste."
This latest M&M'S announcement is one of many tangible actions Mars Wrigley is taking around the world to support a circular economy and to help people protect the planet while enjoying some of their favorite treats and snacks.
Highlights of Mars' recent climate action include:
Mars Bars (Nov. 3, 2021): Mars announced that all its over 220 million Mars Bars sold in the UK, Ireland and Canada will be certified as carbon neutral by 2023.
Maltesers (Oct. 20, 2021): Maltesers swapped the plastic from the interior of candy boxes with a water-based coating, reducing 82 metric tons of plastic waste.
EXTRA Gum Bottle (July 2021): Mars Wrigley’s gum bottle with 30 percent recycled content launched across the German market, an industry-leading move that reduces virgin plastic use by approximately 350 tons annually.
Orbit Megapack (May 21, 2021): Orbit Megapack released on-pack recycling guides from How2Recycle in the U.S., providing a step-by-step guide on whether and how to recycle each part of the gum pack.
Balisto (Feb. 21, 2021): Balisto offered a chocolate bar with paper-based packaging for the first time in partnership with German retailer EDEKA Minden-Hannover reducing the use of packaging plastic by around 440 kilograms.
M&M'S (Nov. 18, 2020): M&M'S launched recyclable packaging in the Choco 300-gram pouch in France as part of Hero Projects, an ongoing program in Europe that tests alternative and sustainable packaging solutions.
Collaborative partnerships:
Closed Loop Partners' Composting Consortium (Nov. 9, 2021): Mars Wrigley joined Close Loop Partners' Composting Consortium in the U.S. to research ways to expand compost infrastructure and consumer knowledge of the composting landscape.
Danimer Scientific (March 16, 2021): Mars Wrigley partnered with Danimer Scientific, a leading developer and manufacturer of biodegradable materials, to develop an innovative home compostable packaging for its products.
