Nivea’s recent redesign of some of its iconic products contains all the right ingredients as the skincare giant aims to achieve its ambitious 2025 sustainability goals.
As Beauty Packaging explains in detail, the Beiersdorf-owned brand has started introducing redesigned containers to reduce material waste.
Nivea Creme is one of the brands whose packaging has been redesigned. The recognizable blue can is now made of 80% recycled aluminum. The new design supports the brand’s goal of using 1.4 tons of recycled aluminum by 2024.
Unlike plastic, aluminum is infinitely recyclable. According to the Aluminum Association, reusing the material requires only about 5% of the energy needed to produce new aluminum. Existing recycling efforts save the equivalent of more than 90 million barrels of oil annually.
Considering that Nivea – which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2011 – estimates in a 2015 Beiersdorf press release that it sells around 150 million cans of Nivea cream each year, this new initiative is well-positioned to eliminate large amounts of planet-warming pollution.
In addition, Nivea plans to further refine its cans.
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“I can imagine achieving 100% recycled aluminum in the future, as we will continue to work on sustainability together with our suppliers,” explained Philip Helm, who works in packaging, in a Beiersdorf press release. “… Aluminum is really the ideal packaging material for a circular economy.”
Other initiatives for 2025 include new Nivea lip formulas made from up to 98% natural ingredients, including one completely vegan formula. (According to Nivea, “naturally derived” means that the ingredients have been processed but retain most of their natural molecular structure.) Some of the lip care products will be sold in recycled cardboard.
The packaging of Nivea Body Wash is also made from 47 percent recycled material and uses 25 percent less plastic. This supports the brand’s goal of halving the amount of environmentally harmful, fuel-based virgin plastic in its packaging by next year.
The wildlife that shares the planet with us will likely be grateful, too, considering that plastics pose a deadly threat that takes dozens to hundreds of years to decompose.
While there are many things that individuals can do to reduce their plastic use in everyday life, Nivea’s recent moves are another encouraging example of a major corporation taking meaningful steps towards a cleaner future without sacrificing the products we love. Aldi, for example, has taken action in the UK to reduce the amount of plastic in snack packaging.
“Who wouldn’t want to see their favorite skin care product transformed into a better version of itself?” Morgane Deleuze, who works in marketing, said in the Beiersdorf press release. “…This will enable millions of consumers around the world to stick to their familiar and proven skin care routines while reducing their carbon footprint.”
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