Mondelēz scales paper trays across its European cookie portfolio

Mondelēz International has replaced PET trays with FSC-certified paper alternatives across more than 115 cookie products sold in 25 European markets, marking one of its largest packaging changes in the bakery category.

The transition covers eight brands, including Milka, Cadbury, Marabou and Chips Ahoy!, and is expected to eliminate approximately 2,200 metric tons of virgin plastic each year.

According to the company, the new tray design reduces plastic use by around 80% compared with the previous rigid plastic format while supporting broader recyclability and material reduction objectives.

115 products redesigned across 25 markets

The rollout required Mondelēz to redesign packaging across a large and diverse product portfolio while maintaining compatibility with existing manufacturing, packing and distribution operations.

The company says the project involved rethinking multiple elements of the packaging system, including tray geometry, material performance and logistics requirements.

Overall, the new paper trays are being introduced across products representing approximately 28,000 metric tons of cookies produced annually.

Paper replaces rigid PET while maintaining product protection

Rigid plastic trays have traditionally been used in biscuit packaging because they provide structural protection during filling, transport and retail handling.

Replacing them with fibre-based alternatives therefore requires materials capable of maintaining sufficient rigidity and dimensional stability while avoiding damage to fragile products.

The FSC-certified paper solution is designed to perform this protective function while substantially reducing the amount of plastic incorporated into the complete package.

Shift builds on previous Mondelēz fibre packaging projects

The European rollout follows a series of fibre-based packaging initiatives previously introduced by Mondelēz in individual markets.

In the UK, the company has tested paper tubs for Cadbury Heroes and introduced paper outer packaging for products including Cadbury Animals and Mini Fingers multipacks.

The latest project significantly increases the scale of this strategy by moving from individual pilots and product lines to more than one hundred SKUs across multiple European markets.

Plastic reduction remains central to packaging strategy

Mondelēz has also been working to reduce virgin plastic through greater use of recycled materials. Previous initiatives included the incorporation of around 80% recycled PET in trays used for brands such as Milka, Oreo, Cadbury and Chips Ahoy!.

The move towards paper therefore represents an additional pathway alongside recycled-content strategies, particularly in applications where rigid plastic components can potentially be replaced with fibre-based formats.

This dual approach reflects the broader packaging industry's efforts to combine material reduction, recycled content and improved recyclability rather than relying on a single sustainability strategy.

PPWR accelerates pressure to redesign packaging

The transition also comes as the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation begins reshaping packaging design requirements across Europe.

The regulation is increasing pressure on brands to reduce unnecessary material use, improve recyclability and limit dependence on virgin plastic, particularly across high-volume consumer goods categories.

For large food manufacturers, initiatives such as Mondelēz's paper tray rollout demonstrate how packaging redesign can deliver substantial material savings when deployed across large portfolios rather than isolated products.

With more than 2,000 tonnes of virgin plastic expected to be removed annually, the project highlights the impact that relatively simple structural packaging changes can achieve when implemented at European scale.