Unilever pledges to halve use of new plastics

Consumer goods giant to push reusable packs, refills and alternative materials and halve usage by 2025

Unilever is to slash it use of virgin plastic by creating greener versions of its household products, a shift that could make shampoo refill stations, cardboard deodorant sticks and toothpaste tablets the norm at the supermarket.

The consumer goods giant, which owns more than 400 brands including Dove, Comfort and Sure, currently uses 700,000 tonnes of plastic each year and has pledged to halve that figure by 2025. To get there it will cut its absolute usage by 100,000 tonnes - by switching to selling reusable packs, concentrated refills and using alternative materials, including recycled plastics in its containers - and start collecting more packaging than it uses to help create a circular economy for recycled plastic.