Mars Wrigley has taken the next step in its commitment to more sustainable packaging by making M&M’S theater boxes in the U.S. fully recyclable with the removal of the traditional plastic overwrap. This sustainability step eliminates 98 metric tons of plastic waste a year, equal to the weight of a space shuttle headed into orbit. The updated packaging has been rolling onto shelves since late September and is now available in theaters and major retailers nationwide.
“At Mars Wrigley, we’re committed to creating better moments by improving our societal impact and helping protect the environment through more sustainable packaging,” says Justin Comes, vice president of R&D, Mars Wrigley North America. “Removing 98 tons of plastic from our M&M’S theater boxes in the U.S. is an important sustainability step for one of America’s best and most famous brands to help build a circular economy where packaging never becomes waste.”
 | Mars Pledges Fresh Climate Action to Achieve Net Zero Emissions by 2050 |
The move is one of many tangible actions Mars Wrigley is taking around the world to support a circular economy and to help people protect our planet while enjoying some of its favorite treats and snacks.
Other recent highlights of Mars’ Climate Action include:
- Mars announcing all its over 220 million Mars Bars sold in the U.K., Ireland, and Canada will be certified as carbon neutral by 2023
- Maltesers swapping the plastic from the interior of candy boxes with a water-based coating, reducing 82 metric tons of plastic waste
- Launching across the German market Mars’s first-ever Wrigley gum bottle with 30% recycled content, an industry-leading move that reduces virgin plastic use by approximately 350 tons annually
