Procter & Gamble has begun producing its new Pantene shampoo and conditioner bottles made primarily from plant-based plastic—a move it first announced last August. This high-density polyethylene material, a first for the haircare industry, is made from sugarcane and will be featured on the Pantene Pro-V Nature Fusion collection. The new bottles will be initially launching in Western Europe with expansion plans to the rest of the world over the next two years.
According to P&G, the packaging uses less of the planet’s nonrenewable resources, replacing petroleum-based plastic with plastic derived from sugarcane, a natural and renewable resource. The company also notes that sugarcane-derived plastic consumes more than 70% less fossil fuels and releases more than 170% less greenhouse gases per ton than traditional petroleum-based plastic.
The new Pantene Pro-V Nature Fusion sugarcane-based packaging will become available across several Western European markets and retailers over the summer and autumn. This will be a seamless transition for consumers, P&G says, as the formulas will remain unchanged, and the new bottle has virtually identical characteristics to its predecessor, including its recyclability. The Nature Fusion collection was launched in 2009 and is sold in all major markets globally.
