After an initial major rollout that began in Australia late last year, Mars is introducing a paper packaging pilot program to the UK, this time via the Mars Wrigley Research and Development Center in Slough, UK. This is the latest in a set of new pilot tests exploring different packaging options for the brand.
Mars is now producing the iconic Mars bars wrapped in recyclable paper packaging that are available for a limited time at Tesco stores. After extensive development work and investments, the company says the trial will achieve a significant reduction in plastic on the physical Mars bar—a significant step in its journey to innovate toward its packaging commitments.
“We are exploring different types of alternative packaging solutions for our confectionery products,” says Richard Sutherland-Moore, packaging expert at Mars Wrigley UK’s Research and Development Centre in Slough. “For Mars bar, the challenge was to find the right paper packaging solution with an adequate level of barrier properties to protect the chocolate whilst guaranteeing the food safety, quality and integrity of the product to prevent food waste.”
More specifically, adds Tracey Manfield, senior packaging engineer in the Global Packaging Innovations team in Slough, “We’re trialing paper packaging today to understand more about how the material performs in the factories, in terms of line speed and wastage, and also how it performs in transit from the factory to the shelf, and indeed beyond the shelf to the consumer.” 
