Ah, the sweet smell of sustainability! Mars, the candy company that’s been satisfying our sweet tooth for decades, is now on a mission to save the planet, one M&M at a time.
Who knew that those little colorful candies could be eco-warriors in disguise?
Picture this: You’re watching your favorite TV show, and suddenly, an M&M commercial pops up. But wait, something’s different. Is that Red holding a reusable coffee cup? Yes, folks, Mars is getting sneaky with their “consumer nudging.” They’re like that friend who subtly hints that you should probably stop using plastic straws by dramatically slurping their drink through a metal one every time you’re together.
But Mars isn’t stopping at coffee cups. Oh no, they’re going all out with their packaging too. Remember when you were a kid, and you’d shake a wrapped gift to guess what was inside? Well, Mars is playing a similar game with their candy bars. They’ve revamped the Mars bar packaging in Australia, making it paper-based. But here’s the kicker – consumers didn’t even realize it was paper at first! So, what did Mars do? They added paper cues and even a tearing sound. Because nothing says “eco-friendly” like the sound of ripping paper, right?
And if you thought QR codes were just for restaurant menus in the post-COVID world, think again. Mars is planning to turn their packaging logos and images into QR codes. Imagine scanning your candy wrapper and being transported into a world of sustainability storytelling. It’s like “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” but instead of golden tickets, we get green initiatives.
Now, let’s talk about the real meat (or should I say, plant-based alternative) of the matter – raw materials. Mars is diving deep into the world of digital twins. No, they’re not cloning their employees. They’re using this technology to understand the complexities of their supply chain. It’s like playing SimCity, but instead of building virtual cities, they’re mapping out cocoa farms and dairy production.
But wait, there’s more! Mars is also partnering with some pretty cool startups. One of them, Loliware, is exploring seaweed-based biodegradable packaging. Yes, you read that right. Seaweed. So, in the future, you might be able to eat your Mars bar and then eat the wrapper too. Talk about a zero-waste snack!
And for all you cow enthusiasts out there, Mars is working with Sea Forest to develop red seaweed-based feed additives to reduce cattle emissions. Because apparently, even cows can go on a seaweed diet. Who knew Bessie was so trendy?
Now, before you start picturing Mars executives in tie-dye shirts, hugging trees, and singing Kumbaya, let’s remember that this is still a business. As Amanda Davies, the chief R&D, procurement and sustainability officer of Mars Snacking, puts it, “This is not a promise — this is a potential.” In other words, don’t expect to see seaweed-wrapped Mars bars hitting the shelves tomorrow. But hey, a chocolate lover can dream, right?
So, the next time you unwrap a Mars bar, take a moment to appreciate the sustainability journey it’s been on. From the cocoa farm to the seaweed-fed cow that provided the milk, to the potentially biodegradable wrapper, it’s not just a candy bar – it’s a little piece of eco-friendly history.
And who knows? Maybe one day, we’ll be telling our grandkids about the dark ages when candy wrappers weren’t edible and M&Ms didn’t remind us to use reusable coffee cups. Until then, let’s enjoy our chocolate and feel a little less guilty about it. After all, saving the planet never tasted so sweet!
Source: https://consumergoods.com/mars-unwraps-eco-innovation-seaweed-digital-twins-consumer-nudging