Nivea’s Jérôme Lerouge discusses sustainable packaging challenges and wins

In a recent interview with Cory Connors of the Sustainable Packaging podcast, Jérôme Lerouge, Head of Packaging Development for Beiersdorf’s Nivea brand, shared insights into the company’s progress towards sustainable packaging.

Takeaways:

• Nivea has implemented strategies such as integrating recycled materials (PCR) and lightweighting to reduce its products’ carbon footprint
• Nivea has achieved significant weight reduction in packaging, including launching a rollable lightweight bottle that reduced the weight of lotion bottles by nearly half
• The company is also committed to reducing paper usage and has eliminated leaflets in some products, exploring options like QR codes for communication and brand loyalty
• Nivea is also experimenting with refillable options in partnership with retailers, encouraging consumers to bring back empty bottles for multiple cycles of use, although consumer adoption is still in the early stages
• A future shift to concentrated product forms, which eliminate unnecessary water, could bring new packaging opportunities and challenges

Sustainable Packaging Challenges

Lerouge acknowledged that Nivea, as a major skincare brand with a diverse product portfolio, faces numerous sustainability challenges. With over 100 years of presence in the market, Nivea has an extensive range of formats and materials to manage, including metal packaging and iconic containers. One of the key challenges is finding the right approach to sustainability, considering the many factors involved.

Wins and Key Initiatives

To address sustainability concerns, Nivea has implemented several strategies. Lerouge emphasized the importance of incorporating post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials into packaging. Initially driven by retailer demands for a certain percentage of recycled content, Nivea switched from petroleum-based packaging to mono-material polypropylene (PP) for its lip care products. This change contributed to reducing the environmental footprint while ensuring ease of production.

Nivea has also excelled in lightweighting packaging, with Lerouge highlighting their rollable lightweight bottle. This innovative design significantly reduced the weight of lotion bottles, making them more sustainable and user-friendly. However, striking a balance between lightweighting and maintaining large-scale production volumes poses a continuous challenge.

Secondary and tertiary packaging have also been targeted for sustainability improvements. Nivea has eliminated unnecessary components like leaflets in certain product lines, resulting in substantial paper savings. Additionally, the company has achieved Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification for its packaging materials, reinforcing its commitment to responsible sourcing.

Exploring Refillable Packaging

In a bid to explore alternative sustainability solutions, Nivea partnered with a major German retailer to test refill machines in stores. This initiative allowed consumers to refill their empty bottles with Nivea shower products, reducing waste. Lerouge noted that while the adoption of such systems is still relatively low, there is growing consumer interest. Drawing a parallel to the shift from single-use plastic bags to reusable ones, Lerouge believes that a change in consumer mindset is possible over time.

Challenges with Post-Consumer Recycled Materials

Lerouge mentioned that acquiring post-consumer recycled materials is not a significant challenge for Nivea. However, ensuring a consistent supply from various sources and maintaining specific color requirements for branding purposes present complexities. With an iconic blue color scheme for its flagship brand, it can be difficult to align brand and sustainability objectives based on quantities of PCR available in the desired colors.

Future Possibilities

Lerouge was enthusiastic about upcoming launches and innovations at Nivea. He highlighted the recent reduction in weight for their female shower gel bottle by 30%, achieved through the use of polypropylene and polyethylene materials.

Nivea is also exploring using QR codes on packaging to provide additional information to consumers and build brand loyalty without adding layers of packaging material.

Lerouge also noted that future product forms may shift to concentrates as opposed to more common lotions and creams. Concentrates eliminate unnecessary water and reduce weight and cube and will require packaging considerations as they become more widely adopted.

As Nivea continues its sustainable packaging evolution, Lerouge believes that upcoming European regulations on packaging waste will further encourage consumers to adopt more sustainable habits.

Listen to the full interview on the Sustainable Packaging Podcast.