Pringles launches a new ‘designed for recycling’ paper-based tube

In a historic moment for the snacking industry, which reflects the world’s collective mission of acting and consuming more sustainably, Kellanova Europe has given its Pringles tube a more sustainable redesign.

Together with Sonoco, Kellanova Europe has redesigned its Pringles packaging to make it widely recyclable by replacing the metal bottom with a paper fibre-based bottom.

Earlier this year, Kellanova Europe’s Belgian engineering and R&D teams announced the official launch of the new ‘designed for recycling’ Pringles tube and introduced the new paper sealing technology on production lines in Mechelen Belgium. These specially designed machines once fully operational across all production lines will be able to produce more than 1 billion perfectly sealed recyclable Pringles tubes per year.

The original Pringles tube, which many households are familiar with, is iconic and “has been a defining feature of the product since it was launched in 1967 in the USA”, says Kellanova.

The new tube retains the brand’s iconic cylindrical shape. Furthermore, the new paper-based tube protects the chips and preserves the flavour of the Pringles to help keep them as fresh as the day they were made. Consumers can also reclose the tubes with the recyclable plastic lid to ensure the chips stay fresh after opening.

The tubes are accepted in recycling streams across Europe, as the new paper end makes it easier to recycle for paper recyclers. The launch follows Kellanova’s trial of a steel can in Italy in 2019 and a paper tube in the UK in 2020.  The vast majority of the paper used for the old and new tube is made from recycled material, helping to boost the circular economy for recycled paper packaging.

The new Pringles paper-based recyclable tubes are already available in Belgium, in the UK (initially available at UK Tesco and One Stop stores) and in the Netherlands with plans to scale up their launch across Europe.

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