Nestlé has partnered with Coles supermarkets across Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory for an exclusive trial of KitKat bars wrapped in paper packaging to explore numerous avenues to reduce the use of virgin plastics by a third.

Coles will receive more than a quarter of a million KitKat four-finger 45g bars, available to purchase from select Coles supermarkets in WA, SA and NT from January while stocks last, and can be recycled through kerbside recycling bins that collect and process paper

“We’re proud to be the first country globally to trial KitKat in paper packaging as an important step towards reducing our use of virgin plastic,” Chris O’Donnell, general manager of confectionary and snacks at Nestlé Oceania, said.

“With all packaging innovations, our priority is to ensure we deliver the same delicious KitKat with creamy chocolate and crisp wafer.

 “Our partnership with Coles has made this packaging trial a possibility, where Aussie chocolate lovers can have their say on our innovative KitKat packaging. The feedback we receive on this trial will help shape the next step of giving Aussies their favourite break.”

Coles general manager of grocery Leanne White added, “Coles is thrilled to partner with Nestlé on this important trial which will provide customers the opportunity to have a say on new packaging options and help the company lead the charge in innovative solutions.

“As part of Coles’ Together to Zero waste ambition, we are committed to reducing plastic packaging wherever possible in Coles supermarkets, so we’re really proud to work with fantastic suppliers like Nestlé to trial a new packaging solution for one of Aussies’ favourite chocolate bar.” 

The trial is a bid to innovate and explore every avenue to meet Nestlé’s goal of reducing its use of virgin plastics by a third by 2025, which includes using less plastic, recycled plastic, and alternatives to plastic packaging.

The wrapper has a thin metal barrier film to keep the KitKat fresh and ensure good quality of the chocolate and wafer. Despite its shiny appearance, it is part of paper packaging and has received an Australasian Recycling Logo (ARL) that indicates it can be recycled via kerbside recycling collection in Australia together with other paper waste.

“In this trial, we are looking at different ways to commercialise at scale, including distribution and factory processes, whilst still providing consumers with a crisp and delicious break. Capturing consumer feedback and assessing those logistics are pivotal to the trial’s success,” O’Donnell said.

Consumers in WA, NT and SA can offer their input on the experience via the QR code on the pack. The questionnaire, which should take a couple of minutes to complete, will ask about the wrapper experience and how the consumers plan to dispose of or recycle it. The feedback will help Nestlé determine the next step in KitKat’s future of packaging.

Nestlé has already rolled out paper across several of its confectionery products recently. In 2021, the entire Smarties range moved to paper packaging, and last year the outer bags for KitKat 50-piece value pack, Jaffas 160g and Fantales 160g, transitioned to paper packaging.