Mars Wrigley’s eco-focused packaging pledge

With growing consumer concerns around environmental impact, particularly in hindsight of the Covid-19 pandemic, Mars Wrigley’s renewed commitment to its promise for 100% reusable, recyclable, or compostable packaging by 2025 will be an effective pledge to affirm its position at the forefront of the forward-thinking consumer market.

Consumer awareness is growing globally as a result of Covid-19, as more people are recognizing their purchasing power and how their decision-making impacts the economy, and particularly, the environment. As 49% of global consumers view recyclable/reusable packaging as more important to them now since the Covid-19 pandemic, Mars Wrigley’s sustainable packaging pledge is an effective marketing strategy that represents consumer values.

This is particularly apparent with attracting younger consumers, which GlobalData has found to be more likely to prioritise environmental concerns within their consumer decision-making. Therefore, displaying eco-conscious business motivations is a secure and sustainable approach to marketing, as younger consumers will continue to have a growing influence and power on the global market in the coming years.

This makes for a sensible long-term business plan, as Mars Wrigley has presented through a $1bn investment into its ‘Sustainable in a Generation’ company initiative.

Ensuring food safety is also key for Mars Wrigley, as it is focusing on simplifying the design and structure of its flexible packaging formats to improve recyclability, whilst still guaranteeing food quality and safety. The latter concern is particularly important as consumer anxieties around packaging safety have grown in 2020, with 53% placing increased importance on ‘secure’ or ‘tamper-proof’ packaging since the pandemic began.

This is increasingly relevant for the company as brand loyalty seems to be split, with 42% of consumers pledging to buy products only from their favourite brands, whilst a further 42% disagree with the pledge statement. By ensuring product safety alongside environmental protection, this will place Mars Wrigley in a secure market-leading position focussing on consumer concerns.

The company’s sustainable packaging pledge displays a future scope of working towards a more circular or net-zero business model regarding not only packaging but also its whole product range.

As 47% of global consumers view ethical/sustainably sourced ingredients as more important to them now since Covid-19, Mars Wrigley is on the right track to continue progressing towards becoming a leader in FMCG sustainable business practices, but there is still a long way to be wholly considered as a ‘sustainable’ business.

For more insight and data, visit the GlobalData Packaging Intelligence Centre