Unilever's R&D center explores over 3,000 materials to reduce plastic use. Its innovations in packaging, including paper barriers and PCR, aim for sustainability.

Inside Unilever’s R&D: Pioneering Efforts to Reduce Plastic Use

Unilever has made significant strides in reducing plastic use since launching its global packaging research center in 2021. The company has evaluated over 3,000 materials in an effort to curb its reliance on virgin plastic. Although Unilever recently revised its plastic reduction goals, it has quadrupled its investment in materials science over the past three years, employing 650 packaging experts and 60 materials scientists across the U.K. and India.

Unilever’s packaging R&D aims to reduce non-essential plastics by developing new product formats, such as shampoo bars and laundry detergent sheets. It is also focusing on creating barrier materials that combine paper and other elements to replace plastic in certain applications. According to Pablo Costa, global head of packaging, paper is a key material in their research as it is both compostable and collected at scale, although it presents challenges related to durability and functionality.

Earlier this year, Unilever received criticism after revising its plastic commitments. The company now targets a 30% reduction in virgin plastic use by 2026, with a 40% cut by 2028. It also aims for 100% of rigid plastic packaging to be reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2030. Currently, 72% of its plastic packaging is designed for recycling, and brands like Hellmann’s and Dove use 100% post-consumer recycled plastic in some products.

Unilever’s R&D team has developed a digital tool that maps 160 grades of recycled plastic content to help designers predict aesthetics and reduce development times by 25%. They have also expanded their PCR (post-consumer recycled) suppliers from 2 in 2016 to over 60 today. This allows for rigorous testing of new materials for functional qualities, such as structural integrity, odor, and recyclability.

Additionally, Unilever is exploring at least 20 biodegradable polymers and conducting life-cycle assessments to better understand the trade-offs of switching from plastic to alternative materials. The company is piloting reusable and refillable containers in Indonesia, where consumers can refill products at over 1,000 locations, helping to replace single-use plastic sachets.

Unilever actively collaborates with academia, suppliers, and other external experts to drive innovation. It also co-chairs the 240-company Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty, which supports a binding UN treaty to regulate plastic use. Costa believes that collaboration across industries and civil society is crucial in solving the global plastic waste crisis, saying, “We don’t need packaging material to be another area where we have to compete.”


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Unilever , plastic reduction , packaging R&D , sustainable packaging , recycled plastic

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