Alongside making it recyclable, the new packaging developed by Persil will contain 50% post-consumer recycled plastic
It is estimated that the moves made by Persil will reduces the amount of virgin plastic it uses by more than 1,000 tonnes annually (Credit: Unilever)
Unilever’s UK-based fabric cleaning brand Persil is re-launching its liquid detergent product with packaging that is “100%” recyclable.
Additionally, the bottles will be made with 50% post-consumer recycled plastic, while the product dosing ball will no longer be provided with every purchase
It’s estimated that these moves will reduce the amount of virgin plastic in Persil bottles by more than 1,000 tonnes annually.
The brand has also launched a new liquid formulation made with plant-based stain removers and biodegradable ingredients from renewable or recycled sources.
A smaller bottle size, due to the formula being concentrated by 23%, will also mean approximately 19% fewer trucks are needed to transport it.
Unilever UK and Ireland’s vice-president of home care Charlie Beevor said: “We’ve seen unprecedented demand for our home care product in recent months, and we need to maintain momentum on how we continue to adapt and evolve our products to ensure we are continuing to lead the way in terms of sustainability.
“As an industry, we must break our dependence on fossil fuels and we’re proud to be leading the charge.”
Recyclable packaging made by Persil part of Unilever’s ‘Clean Future’ commitment
Persil’s re-launched range is the first UK-based innovation as part of parent company Unilever’s “Clean Future” commitment.
The innovation programme, funded by a €1bn ($1.1bn) investment, has been designed by the company’s home care division to fundamentally change how its cleaning and laundry products are created, manufactured and packaged.
It also intends to embed circular economy principles into both its packaging and product formulations.
Beevor said: “Clean Future is our vision to transform the sustainability of our global cleaning and laundry brands.
“Our new Persil Liquid is just the start of providing products that are both effective and kind to the planet.”
Unilever committed to collecting and processing more plastic packaging than it sells by 2025
Persil’s packaging change is also part of parent company Unilever’s goals around tackling its plastic usage.
In October 2019, the firm committed to halving its use of virgin plastic packaging by 2025.
It says it will achieve this by investing in reusable or refillable solutions, using alternative materials to make products and increasing its use of recycled plastic.
Alongside this, the company pledged to have a virgin plastic packaging footprint of 350,000 tonnes by 2025.
Speaking at the time, CEO Alan Jope said: “Plastic has its place, but that place is not in the environment.
“We can eliminate plastic waste by acting fast and taking radical action at all points in the plastic cycle.
“Our starting point has to be design — reducing the amount of plastic we use and then making sure that what we do use increasingly comes from recycled sources.
“We are also committed to ensuring all our plastic packaging is reusable, recyclable or compostable.”
To boost its commitment to driving its use of virgin plastic, Unilever will use what it calls “no plastic” solutions.
This will include innovations such as refillable toothpaste tablets, cardboard deodorant sticks and bamboo toothbrushes.
Alongside this, the firm has committed to collect and process more plastic packaging than it sells by 2025 — which will see the business collect and process around 600,000 tonnes of plastic annually.