Colgate-Palmolive is acknowledging that it may not meet a key packaging circularity target by 2025. The sticking point is in flexible bags and pouches, the CPG said in its 2023 sustainability and social impact report shared this week.
“These challenges may require us to go beyond 2025 to achieve our target to make all of our packaging recyclable, reusable or compostable,” the company stated.
By the end of 2023, Colgate was 89.5% of the way there, but it’s been harder to convert packaging for products like Hill’s pet food bags and personal care pouches, which the company said is indicative of industrywide challenges.
Colgate also shared updated data on its recyclable toothpaste tubes, a decade after embarking on designing such packaging. Recyclable tubes are now used for about 90% of its North American toothpaste SKUs. The company expects to be at 95% by the end of 2024. Colgate wants to complete the global transition by 2025; globally it was at 60% in 2023.
Through that transition process, not all MRFs have accepted the tubes, which spurred some consumers to initiate a lawsuit against the company over the recyclability claims. In February, a judge in the Northern District of California denied Colgate-Palmolive’s request to dismiss the lawsuit.
Other CPGs are also rethinking 2025 targets. Unilever, which sells products in the personal care space, among other areas, recently pushed out and modified some of its own goals. This included adapting its target from making all plastic packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025, to transforming such rigid packaging by 2030 and flexibles by 2035.
