Cadbury gives Roses and Heroes brands makeover

By Keynsham-People | Wednesday, November 04, 2009, 07:00

Chocolate firm Cadbury is giving its Roses and Heroes brands a green makeover.

The confectionery company is breaking with tradition and switching its round metal tins for square, recyclable cardboard boxes.

The environmentally friendly packaging will be trialled in Tesco stores this Christmas.

The move, part of Cadbury's Purple Goes Green environmental strategy, includes a pledge to reduce packaging of seasonal and gifting products by 25 per cent by 2010. Replacing tins with 100 per cent sustainably sourced cardboard achieves a 45 per cent weight reduction and saves 201 tonnes of steel as a result.

The company hopes tapping into consumer demand for sustainable packaging will be a further boost to sales. As well as satisfying the desire for eco-friendly gifts, consumer testing by Cadbury has shown the square boxes are felt to be more practical and easier to wrap without revealing the present inside.

Cadbury, which employs 400 staff at Somerdale in Keynsham, is also implementing an average 32 per cent packaging reduction across its selection box range.

Jo Grice, head of marketing for Cadbury, said: "An environmental twist on a festive favourite will help us to meet shoppers' ethical concerns. And they are far easier to wrap!"

US food giant Kraft is this week expected to launch a hostile bid of more than £10bn for Cadbury. Kraft is said to be preparing to table a second offer by the end of this week.