Talking Trash: the corporate playbook of false solutions to the plastic crisis

The Changing Markets Foundation writes to Nestlé's CEO, Ulf Mark Schneider, regarding the company's role as a major plastic polluter and its failure to meet recycling and recycled content targets. The letter argues that Nestlé's voluntary commitments often lack specificity and accountability, and urges the company to support mandatory legislative solutions, such as global Deposit Return Systems (DRS), and to be transparent about its full plastic footprint.

• Nestlé was identified as the second worst plastic polluter in the 2019 Break Free from Plastic Brand audit.
• Nestlé has a history of failing to meet its plastic commitments, including a goal set between 2008 and 2018 to increase PET bottle recycling in North America to 60%.
• Despite a target of 25% recycled content by 2025, Nestlé's current rates are 5% for PET bottles and 2% across its overall plastic packaging portfolio.
• The Changing Markets Foundation expresses concern over Nestlé's investment in bio-plastics due to a lack of clear sustainability criteria regarding sourcing and the potential for causing deforestation or land competition.
• The author argues that Nestlé's promises regarding a 'one tonne in, one tonne out' principle for plastic sachets in high-leakage countries lack the accountability and specificity needed to be more than 'paper promises'.

APA

Changing Markets Foundation (2020). Talking Trash: the corporate playbook of false solutions to the plastic crisis. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/TalkingTrash_Letter_Nestle.pdf

Chicago

Changing Markets Foundation. Talking Trash: the corporate playbook of false solutions to the plastic crisis. 2020. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/TalkingTrash_Letter_Nestle.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Changing Markets Foundation |title=Talking Trash: the corporate playbook of false solutions to the plastic crisis |date=29 October 2020 |url=https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/TalkingTrash_Letter_Nestle.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{changingmarketsfoundation2020talking, author = {{Changing Markets Foundation}}, title = {{Talking Trash: the corporate playbook of false solutions to the plastic crisis}}, publisher = {Changing Markets Foundation}, year = {2020}, month = oct, url = {https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/TalkingTrash_Letter_Nestle.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }