VITTEL® launches in France the first 75cl bottle made of 100% recycled plastic (rPET), always 100% recyclable

2019-11-29 2:11 min Materials, Processing & Handling, PET materials

Nestlé Waters Paris, France

VITTEL® announced the launch of its first 75cl bottle made entirely of recycled plastic (PET), or rPET, for the French market. This new VITTEL® natural mineral water bottle will be available in the 75cl format in supermarkets starting 18 November. This innovation is part of the various actions led by the VITTEL® brand to reduce the impact of its packaging on the environment and promote circular economy.

A new VITTEL® bottle made of 100%(1) recycled plastic

VITTEL® introduces a new version of its 75cl bottle, which, thanks to its sports cap and practical take away format, accompanies the French to support hydration during their daily activities. This bottle is made of 100% sorted and recycled bottles. In order to inform consumers of this initiative, from 24 November, VITTEL® will launch a massive communication campaign on TV, press and digital.

''The launch in France of the first 75cl bottle made from 100% recycled plastic is a milestone in VITTEL®’s strategy to create sustainable packaging based on the circular economy.'' said Fabienne Bravard, Marketing Director of Nestlé Waters France.

A VITTEL® range in the era of the circular economy

Nestlé Waters has already increased the share of recycled plastic to 35% for its 33cl and 50cl VITTEL® and CONTREX® bottles, and to 50% in its flavored varieties VITTEL® Up and CONTREX® Green. The VITTEL® and CONTREX® small format film packs also contain 50% recycled content(2).

These innovations are in line with Nestlé Waters France’s roadmap, which includes the commitment the VITTEL® brand made this February when it signed the National Pact on Plastic Packaging in the presence of Brune Poirson, Secretary of State to the Minister for Ecological Transition.

(Photo credit: Nestlé Waters)

Packaging environmental footprint reduction: a priority for Nestlé Waters

These innovations reflect the global commitment of Nestlé Waters and its brands such as VITTEL® to reduce the environmental impact of their packaging. This commitment is based on several axes: from the design of more virtuous packaging through to the end of product life, with particular attention to the bottle collection and sorting issue, which helps support circular economy.

R&D at the heart of Nestlé Waters’ ambition to create the packaging of the future

Nestlé Waters and VITTEL®’s latest innovations illustrate the Group’s continued investment in research and development to create the next generation of more sustainable packaging.

''The launch in France of the first 75cl bottle made from 100% recycled plastic under the VITTEL® brand was made possible thanks to the commitment of the researchers from Nestlé Waters’ Global Water Research Centre on this topic, as well as the continuous commitment of our employees at the Vittel plant.'' said Françoise Bresson, Head of CSR and Communication at Nestlé Waters France.

(Photo credit: Nestlé Waters)

Among its most recent investments, Nestlé inaugurated in September 2019 the Institute of Packaging Sciences, whose mission is to develop innovative alternative materials and new packaging solutions. Nestlé Waters is also one of the founding members of the NaturALL Bottle Alliance, that has a mission to develop bio-sourced packaging using biomass (cardboard or sawdust). The Group has set itself the objective of launching 65% bio-sourced bottles as of 2023. On the other hand, Nestlé Waters has entered into a partnership with Danimer to design bio-plastic based bottles, biodegradable when not collected.

In order to address the bottles end-of-life issue, Nestlé Waters is also working with the start-up Carbios to develop new approaches to plastic enzymatic recycling to indefinitely recycle PET coming from the Group’s bottles or other materials.

www.nestle-waters.com

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(1) Cap 100% reusable but not made from recycled plastic

(2) LDPE plastic film - Low density polyethylene or rPE