Nestlé Philippines shifts to paper straws for its ready-to-drink products

Food and beverage giant Nestlé Philippines said Friday it is switching from plastic to paper straws for its ready-to-drink (RTD) products.

In a statement, Nestlé said the move would eliminate 130 metric tons of plastic straws by the end of the year.

The company said its shift to paper straws is targeted to be completed by the end of the year.

The shift, Nestlé said, is part of its global commitment to make 100% of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025.

“As the world’s largest food and beverage company, Nestlé envisions a waste-free future in which none of our packaging, particularly plastic, ends up in landfills, the oceans, or as litter. Shifting to paper straws is a critical step towards plastic neutrality, and one of many we are taking to address the urgent, and at the same time complex, plastics challenge,” Nestlé Philippines chairman and CEO Kais Marzouk said.

RTD brands Chuckie, Bear Brand (Sterilized, Fortified, and Yogu), Nescafe, and Mil already utilize the paper straws in the 180ml and 200ml portion packs, while the 110ml and 250ml packs are currently in the pipeline for transition, according to Nestlé.

The company noted that newly-developed bendable paper straws are of food-grade quality and made without plastic or wax, which makes them fully recyclable.

It said several tests were made to ensure quality of paper straws so that they can withstand soaking in beverage for one hour. With the transition to paper straws, the company now has in place a responsible sourcing program that ensures suppliers practice responsible forest management.

“A waste-free future can be realized and we are determined to do our share, by finding innovative packaging solutions that will continue to uphold food safety while protecting our environment,” Marzouki said.

“We urge our consumers to join us in this quest as they play a big part in helping us achieve this vision. By working together, we can help address the plastics challenge that we all face,” he said. -MDM, GMA News