Mother Dairy, a subsidiary of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), has launched what it claims to be India’s first naturally degradable milk pouches, marking a step toward sustainable packaging.
The eco-friendly pouches will be rolled out across the Delhi-NCR region starting 5 June, World Environment Day, beginning with the company’s popular Cow Milk variant, the financial media reported.
Developed over more than four years, the innovative packaging is designed to naturally break down in soil within a few years, unlike conventional LDPE plastic that can take centuries to decompose, the company stated.
The material converts into a bioavailable wax and is broken down by soil microbes into natural elements, leaving no microplastics behind, company officials said in a press meet.
Mother Dairy confirmed that the new packaging maintains the milk’s quality, taste, and shelf life. Despite the investment in research and development, the company stated that the shift to biodegradable pouches will come at no additional cost to consumers.
The initial rollout will include 500 ml and 1-liter cow milk packs in Delhi-NCR, where Mother Dairy serves as a key supplier. Alongside this initiative, the company is introducing a refreshed packaging design across its milk portfolio, featuring brighter visuals, a modern aesthetic, and a new “Note of Care” brand element.
Jayatheertha Chary, managing director of Mother Dairy, said, “We undertook over four years of research to develop a naturally degradable milk pouch that leaves no trace of plastics in the environment.” While these milk pouches will continue to remain recyclable, he said the key differentiator lies in their ability to degrade into natural elements, thereby helping address the challenge of fugitive plastic.
Meenesh Shah, chairman of the National Dairy Development Board and Mother Dairy, has been quoted as saying that the initiative represents a major milestone, with the new packaging designed to naturally degrade in soil within a few years rather than taking centuries, without any impact on consumer milk prices.
The move aims to address the growing challenge of plastic waste in India, where millions of conventional milk pouches are discarded daily, contributing significantly to environmental pollution.
