Cadbury UK sharing bars now wrapped in 80% recycled plastic

Cadbury has begun rolling out new packaging for its sharing bars that incorporates 80% certified recycled plastic. The initiative applies to popular products such as Cadbury Dairy Milk, Fruit & Nut, and Dairy Milk Caramel.

Using a mass balance allocation approach, the new packaging will be introduced across approximately 300 million bars annually. According to Cadbury, this represents the highest proportion of recycled content used in its packaging worldwide.

The change is expected to replace around 600 tonnes of virgin plastic each year with post-consumer recycled material — roughly equivalent to the weight of 40 double-decker buses.

The recycled content is made possible through advanced recycling technology, which enables plastic waste to be processed back into food-grade, flexible plastic suitable for use in packaging.

Joanna Dias, Mondelez UK Sustainability Lead, says: We’re so proud to be taking this big next step with Cadbury. We know that sustainability is important to consumers, so by moving to 80% certified recycled plastic - and wrapping more than ~300 million bars this year - we’re not only helping to give flexible plastic a second life, but also helping Cadbury fans enjoy their favourite snacks, knowing they’re doing something positive for the planet.

The transition is already underway, with select bars now available on shelves in the new packaging. Cadbury aims to complete the switch across all UK and Ireland sharing bars by the end of 2025.