Breakfast is frequently regarded as the most important meal of the day, but one company is trying to ensure that it also plays a role in our collective fight against rising global temperatures.
The WK Kellogg Co. has announced its plans to expand its portfolio of eco-friendly boxes, bags, and pouches, despite already making 98% of its packaging recyclable or recycle-ready, per U.S. standards.
Its spinoff from Kellanova, formerly known as the Kellogg Company, last October has done little to stall that impressive 98% rate — which is measured by metric tons against sales.
In an interview with Packaging Digest, Chief Wellbeing and Sustainable Business Officer Sarah Ludmer described the brand's continued quest to create greener packaging options for its cereals like Frosted Flakes, Froot Loops, and Raisin Bran.
"Packaging is essential for our portfolio and a key element of our impact. We know not only is it important to create packaging that can be recycled but also strive to incorporate more recycled materials into our packaging," she said, adding that the company is also focused on educating consumers to improve recycling habits.
The American cereal manufacturer has run an in-store drop-off for its Bear Naked granola packaging for the last seven years, and it celebrated Earth Day last year by partnering with Albertsons on an in-store recycling program for plastic cereal bags. The breakfast brand utilized its iconic characters such as Tony the Tiger and Toucan Sam in promotional material to engage customers.
WK Kellogg Co. has partnered with the Sustainable Packaging Coalition and How2Recycle as well, labeling its products with their logos.
Furthermore, its secondary packaging "consists of recyclable corrugated boxes," with Ludmer highlighting its investment to reduce material, improve shipping efficiencies, and reduce packaging damage.
However, she noted that Kellogg's still has room for improvement — its recycle-ready packaging extends to large, resealable cereal pillow packs and granola pouches but not to snack pouches.
Further, many have criticized the brand for "targeting kids" with food that contains many artificial flavors and colors, including colors banned in several countries for concerns about negative effects on children. One recent petition from Food Babe even garnered over 100,000 signatures.
Other brands that have started environmentally focused packaging initiatives include Aldi's switch to a fully recyclable paper wine bottle and Yoplait's reusable glass yogurt containers.
Efforts like these will help reduce the 292.4 million tons of waste produced annually in the U.S. that pollute our oceans and release planet-warming gases as they degrade in landfills.
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