Global polymer producer LyondellBasell has partnered with food group Mondelez International, film converter Amcor, and substrate specialist Taghleef Industries to produce flexible wrappers for Marabou chocolate bars containing recycled material. The wrapper utilises LyondellBasell’s CirculenRevive polymers, which are manufactured through advanced chemical recycling that breaks down mixed post-consumer plastic waste into virgin-quality feedstock.
Flexible food packaging has long represented one of the toughest challenges for circular economy targets. Mechanical recycling often struggles to yield materials that satisfy strict European and UK food-contact safety standards, particularly for polyolefins used in high-barrier confectionery film. By leveraging chemical recycling alongside ISCC PLUS mass-balance chain of custody tracking, the consortium successfully incorporated circular polymers into flexible packaging without compromising tear resistance, barrier performance, or food safety.
For UK packaging converters and Turkish plastic reprocessors, this commercial rollout reflects a broader shift in how brand owners meet circularity targets for flexible films. As regulatory standards tighten under the UK Plastic Packaging Tax and the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), demand for food-contact approved recycled resins is intensifying. Turkish recyclers upgrading their sorting capabilities to supply clean polyolefin fractions for chemical recycling feedstocks stand to secure higher-value off-take agreements. Concurrently, UK converters must carefully monitor how mass-balance accounting is treated under local environmental compliance rules to ensure long-term tax mitigation and accurate carbon reporting.
The practical takeaway for industry operators is to prepare for dual-track circular strategies. While mechanical recycling remains the preferred route for rigid containers and non-food applications owing to its lower carbon footprint, advanced recycling is rapidly establishing itself as the viable path for food-grade flexible films.
