Heinz pledges to make all packaging recyclable by 2025

Kraft Heinz pledged on Tuesday to make all its packaging recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025, stepping up its commitment to reducing its carbon emissions.

Caroline Krajewski, head of global corporate reputation at Heinz told FoodNavigtor-USA that if changes are not made, the planet will exceed the global warming threshold of an increase of 2ºC.

"Our current goal to reduce carbon emissions is associated just with our factories and our offices. But by signing on with the Science Based Targets initiative we are extending our effort to our supply chain”, she explained. “Any carbon that is emanated associated with our products [...] will be included in this reduction goal."

She also said that Heinz would be working "hand in hand with the industry and our peers and our suppliers to make sure their operations are reducing carbon in a significant way as well."

Heinz is already working with Environmental Packaging International for consulting, tracking and other specialist services in packaging. It is also aiming to decrease the overall volumes of packaging it uses.

The move could change the packaging format of some of its products such as the ketchup single packets and Capri Sun juice pouches that are hard to recycle.

"We're really entering brand-new territory here," Krajewski said. "We now have this seven-year runway to create a new solution. Where a technical solution does not exist, we’ll need to find one."

Kraft Heinz joins other consumer companies including Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Nestle SA and Colgate Palmolive that have also set deadlines to make their products more friendly to the environment.