Nestlé Philippines shifts to paper straws for ready-to-drink products

MANILA - Nestlé Philippines said Friday it was replacing plastic straws for its ready-to-drink products with paper straws as part of its commitment to become "waste-free."

The move, which it claims as the "first of its kind and scale" in the country, will eliminate 130 metric tons of plastic straws by the end of the year, Nestlé Philippines said in a statement.

It is part of its global commitment to make 100 percent of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025, the company said.

“As the world’s largest food and beverage company, Nestlé envisions a waste-free future in which none of our packaging, particularly plastic, ends up in landfills, the oceans, or as litter," said Nestlé Philippines chairman and CEO Kais Marzouki.

"Shifting to paper straws is a critical step towards plastic neutrality, and one of many we are taking to address the urgent, and at the same time complex, plastics challenge,” Marzouki added.

Some of its 180ml and 200ml ready-to-drink brands are already using paper straws while some 110ml and 250ml packs are currently on the pipeline for transition, it said.

The shift to paper straws is expected to be completed by the end of the year, it said.

Paper straws that come with the packaging are food-grade quality and were made without plastic or wax, making it fully recyclable, Nestlé Philippines said.

“A waste-free future can be realized and we are determined to do our share, by finding innovative packaging solutions that will continue to uphold food safety while protecting our environment,” Marzouki said.

Chuckie, Bear Brand, Nescafe and Milo are some of the ready-to-drink products under Nestlé Philippines.