Nestlé India was recently in news for its pilot project in Dehradun and Mussoorie. In May, a study by Gati Foundation found that Maggi along with Parle’s Frooti and PepsiCo’s Lay’s chips were among the top brands to help in curbing excessive disposal of plastic leading to pollution as their empty packets weren’t properly disposed off in the country’s hilly areas such as Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.
In response to the damage caused by its product, Nestlé India proposed an exchange offer. The offer promises a full pack of its trademark Maggie noodles upon exchanging 10 empty packs of Maggi. According to a Nestlé spokesperson, the company hopes to bring about a behavioral change in consumers and help create awareness for responsible disposal of plastic waste and avoid littering.
Nestlé India has initiated few pilot projects collectively with few industry partners under guidance of central pollution control board, state pollution control board and urban local bodies to collect, segregate, recycle and recover plastic waste in a sustainable manner. This initiative ensures compliance to local legislation plastic waste management rules 2016 as amended in 2018. Currently, Nestle is working with nearly 250 retailers in the beginning stage to make sure the campaign works out well.
Nestlé India focus on reducing waste generation through its packaging. The company is aiming to use the minimum adequate packaging by weight and volume, and also ensuring segregated collection of plastic waste. Efforts are being made to develop and innovate new materials that can deliver the desired protection and functionality of incumbent packaging materials with better environmental performance.