Soft plastics
Soft plastics (basically any plastic you can scrunch in your hand including plastic bags) should not be put in your household recycling bin. This can contaminate other recycling and cause problems with the sorting machinery at recycling facilities.
Collect all your empty soft plastic packaging, such as your chocolate wrappers, and drop them into the Soft Plastics Recycling bins at supermarkets and other stores.
We partner with The Packaging Forum and the Soft Plastics Recycling Scheme, sharing the vision that all packaging in New Zealand will be reusable, recyclable or compostable.
In the past, soft plastic packaging has been considered a single use material. However, the development of advanced recycling technology means it’s becoming possible to take soft plastics – like our Cadbury wrappers – and turn them back into soft plastic packaging.
The post-consumer soft plastics used for our recycled content have multiple origins. At the moment, there’s no large-scale capability to recycle soft plastics back into packaging in Australia or New Zealand, but we want there to be.
That’s why we’ve invested in technology pioneers Licella, to progress construction of one of the first at-scale advanced recycling facilities in Australia. Once up and running, there will be enough recycled material to meet much of our soft plastic packaging needs for Australia and New Zealand.
Strong and reliable packaging ensures our chocolate arrives to Cadbury fans in the same way it left our factories – fresh, safe and of the highest quality.
Increasing the use of recycled content is a critical factor in the establishment of a true circular economy for sustainable packaging. Reducing our reliance on virgin materials will decrease the pressure we put on the planet’s finite resources and ensure that valuable materials are not lost to landfill.
Cadbury has been sourcing post-consumer recycled plastic for its family blocks range since 2022. In 2024, the company has doubled down on this commitment and aims to use ~50%# (on a mass balance basis^) recycled plastic for its wrappers across its chocolate blocks, bars and pieces range produced in Australia. This will be equivalent to halving its virgin plastic needs to wrap those products.+
There continues to be a limited supply globally of food grade post-consumer recycled content and demand is increasing.
This is why we’ve invested in Licella to progress one of the first at-scale advanced recycling facilities in Australia to help meet our soft plastic packaging needs into the future.
This ~50% figure is across our entire core Cadbury chocolate portfolio wrappers and represents another significant step by the brand to support a circular economy for packaging and to address the global waste challenge.
Will the new wrappers change the taste and quality of my chocolate?
Evolving recycling advice and infrastructure for soft plastics has prompted us to trial a QR code on pack to support consumers to dispose of their packaging thoughtfully. The platform also includes broader information on our approach to sustainability.
This technology gives flexibility to update recycling guidance for Cadbury lovers that is accurate and timely and ensures new packaging and artwork isn’t needed every time.
Sustainable Packaging Strategy
Our packaging vision
We’re aiming for sustainable packaging that protects our chocolate, delights consumers and does not harm the environment.
Our vision is to achieve net zero pack waste and support a circular pack economy by 2050 through better packaging and improved systems.
Our packaging approach
We recognise that packaging waste is a major challenge for our planet. We’re working with stakeholders to support a circular economy by ensuring our wrappers can be recycled again and again in the future.
We’re also making strides to reduce plastic packaging use and switch to more easily recyclable materials.
National packaging targets
Mondelēz is a signatory to the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) and is committed to working towards Australia's 2025 National Packaging Targets.
Through The ANZPAC Plastics Pact (ANZPAC) we're also working towards achieving plastics targets aimed at building a circular economy for plastic.
Making snacking right for people and the planet
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