Mars Building a ‘New Muscle’ with Chemistry to Address EPR, PPWR

Mars Snacking’s brands, from Snickers and M&M’s to Pringles and Cheez-It, rely heavily on flexible film. “The majority of our packaging is much smaller than a piece of paper, smaller than an envelope even,” said Laura Shimmin, associate director of global packaging R&D, Mars. That format profile puts Mars squarely in the path of emerging packaging laws, from extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs in U.S. states to the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). Shimmin spoke at INX International’s Innovation Day, held during PACK EXPO International in Chicago, alongside Stefan Laske, head of R&D for consumer flexibles at Mondi, Greg Stillman, director of the new materials and packaging vertical at innovation platform and investor Plug and Play, and Lowell Huffman, director of channel partnerships at EPR compliance firm rePurpose Global.

View Article