Pringles is testing out a new can — at least in the United Kingdom.
For years, the iconic tall tube that houses the hyperbolic paraboloid-shaped potato chips has been at the top of a list of worst offenders when it comes to reusability. In 2017, a recycling trade group in the UK deemed the can the “number one recycling villain.”
Now Kellogg’s, which owns the Pringles brand, is trying out a new design made of recycled paper in three Tesco grocery stores in England, the company announced in a news release. The cans appeared on shelves on Wednesday and the test will run for six weeks, according to Kellogg’s.
The company will test out two versions, one with a paper lid and one with a plastic lid. Both lids will be recyclable, according to Kellogg’s.
“We are eager to play our part and reduce our impact on the planet,” Miranda Prins, Pringles vice-president, said in a news release. “And, Pringles fans expect that of us too. So, we’ve worked hard to come up with this new can which is widely recyclable and keeps our chips fresh and tasty and protects them from breaking up — which helps to reduce food waste.”
Kellogg’s said the new design was part of the company’s goal to make all packaging 100% reusable, recyclable or compostable by the end of 2025. The company said it will collect consumer data and feedback on the new packaging and if successful, the design could be expanded across Europe.
The current can is a combination of foil, paper board, metal and plastic that is difficult to recycle due to the number of different materials involved.
The Recycling Association, the UK-based group that has criticized the Pringles can, said the design was an encouraging sign but that there was still room for improvement in the packaging.
“This new version is an improvement, and we broadly welcome it,” Simon Ellin, chief executive of the Recycling Association, told BBC News.
“But, frankly, if they are going to stick to a plastic lid that’ll just add to problems with plastic pollution — people on picnics leave them behind and they find their way into streams and the sea. That plastic lid has got to go.”
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