Mars Introduces Recyclable Mono-Material Pouches for WHISKAS Pet Food in UK and Germany

Photo Credit: WHISKAS

According to a company announcement, Mars Incorporated has rolled out a new recyclable mono-material pouch for its WHISKAS® brand in the United Kingdom and Germany. The move is part of the company’s broader sustainability initiative aimed at reducing packaging waste and supporting a circular economy.

As reported by Mars, the newly developed pouches are made from polypropylene and are designed to be compatible with both current and future recycling infrastructure. This packaging innovation replaces the traditionally used multi-layered materials — typically a combination of plastic and aluminum — which are notoriously difficult to recycle. The company claims the switch to the mono-material format has led to a 46% reduction in the product's packaging carbon footprint.

The heat-resistant polypropylene material allows the pouch to undergo high-temperature sterilization while remaining recyclable, offering both functionality and environmental benefits. The new pouches made their debut with the WHISKAS® Tasty Mix Country Collection 12 Pack and are now available at all major UK retailers as well as through German supermarket chain Rewe.

“We want to contribute to a circular economy where packaging material never becomes waste,” said Elisabetta Pierangelo, Vice President of R&D at Mars Pet Nutrition. “The transition to mono material pouches has required ground-breaking, innovative material science and we will continue to drive innovation in packaging to help build the world we want tomorrow.”

This development aligns with Mars’ Sustainable in a Generation Plan, which is built around three core pillars: eliminating unnecessary packaging, redesigning products for circularity, and investing in closed-loop systems.

In related industry developments, start-up DoggyLove recently adopted Sonoco’s GreenCan solution to package its plant-based pet treats. The recyclable can is composed of up to 98% paper content and is designed for home recycling. Meanwhile, Mondi and Saga Nutrition have jointly introduced a recyclable mono-material dry pet food bag that complies with CEFLEX recycling standards.

Source: Sustainable Packaging