Smarties is now the first global confectionery brand to progress to recyclable packaging!

As a brand, Smarties is all about smart choices. In fact, the brand has often teased young consumers with puzzles like word-searches on their boxes. Now, after Nestlé announced their plans to switch to recyclable paper packaging earlier this year, the offering is now available in South Africa – and it’s a major move in the right direction.

Smarties started off as a brand named ‘Chocolate Beans’ in 1882, but after opting to use their traditional cylindrical cardboard tubes as a teaching aid, the brand rebranded to ‘Smarties’. Each box was capped with a colourful plastic lid with a letter of the alphabet branded onto it.

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The purpose of this was to encourage young children to recognise the letters and help them in their educational journey.

Today, the brand sells the world-famous buttons in a cardboard box and in a massive move, the brand has revealed that it has moved to 100% recyclable paper packaging!

“We are truly excited to introduce this offering to the South African market. The transformation of the Smarties packaging is only one of the brands’ smart initiatives, which aim to support sustainability and enhance the overall product experience. This transformation will aid in repositioning the brand and earning back the trust of millions,” Alex Villela, Business Executive Officer, Confectionery, Nestlé South Africa says.

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Saint-Francis Tohlang, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Director at Nestlé East and Southern Africa Region (ESAR), adds that “Smarties move to 100% recyclable paper is a great advertisement for our dedication to transforming our packaging to be more environmentally friendly. It encapsulates all that the re-initiative represents – rethinking our entire value chain, reducing our impact on the environment and providing tangible proof points of our sustainability efforts through our loved brands.”

Additionally, Smarties has revealed their plans to extend this important conversation online with their ‘Smarties Create With Purpose’ narrative while getting South Africans to buy into the idea of getting creative with recycling while being environmentally aware.

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The brand-new Smarties boxes with recyclable packaging are available in-store now.

Image courtesy: Nestlé