Walkers Chocolates introduces fully recyclable paper wrappers for chocolate bars in UK 

Walkers Chocolates is rolling out its Turkish Delight and Mint Cream chocolate bars in fully recyclable paper wrappers. These bars, wrapped in Evopak RCM made with Aquapak’s Hydropol technology, will hit selected Asda and Premier stores this month, marking a new step forward in environmentally friendly confectionery packaging.

The new wrappers are designed to be disposed of through curbside recycling collections, eliminating the need for consumers to return packaging to stores. Unlike traditional paper packaging often containing PE, these wrappers are made with materials that break down without releasing microplastics.

Mark Lapping, CEO at Aquapak, says: “With the British people consuming an average of three chocolate bars a week, the opportunity to reduce the impact on the environment by removing conventional plastics from this type of packaging, improving paper recycling and making life easier for consumers, retailers and brands is enormous.”

“Aquapak’s Hydropol technology has made this possible and opens the door for many other categories to do the same.”

Sustainable indulgence

Snack and confectionery packaging often relies on lightweight multi-layer structures that extend shelf life and improve efficiency but pose end-of-life challenges. Compounding the issue, the small size of snack packaging and on-the-go consumer habits often lead to littering, causing damage to the environment and animal health. 

Hydropol is a polymer that combines the performance of plastic with the recyclability of paper. By enhancing paper’s strength and providing barriers against oxygen, oil and grease, Hydropol enables the production of functional packaging that meets the demands of the supply chains. 

Environmentally friendly packaging is both achievable and commercially viable.“At Walkers Chocolates, we have a strong focus on sustainability and are committed to reducing our impact on the environment. As part of this, we will move away from plastic to paper-based materials completely over the next three to five years where possible,” highlights Tom Murtagh, commercial director at Walkers Chocolates. 

“I hope this is the start of a much bigger revolution in the chocolate category and one which will be welcomed by consumers who can recycle the wrappers and know that no harmful microplastics are being produced at end-of-life.”

Versatile solutions

The material is soluble and non-toxic, making it compatible with standard paper recycling mills, which allows for paper fiber recovery. It is also biodegradable and is compatible with anaerobic digestion. 

Daniel McAlister, director of business operations at Evopak, says: “We have developed a special paper, which we call RCM, that has the potential to revolutionize packaging as we know it, thanks to the unique properties of Hydropol.” 

“The paper can be used in a range of applications from snacks and confectionery to pet care and dry foods and cereals, and costs the same as existing materials.”

This same polymer technology has been previously utilized in other products, such as crisp packets and fashion packaging.