Henkel doubles down after missing packaging targets

German chemical and consumer goods manufacturer Henkel has revisited its sustainability targets after failing to meet packaging goals.

The Düsseldorf-based multinational known for brands such as Loctite, Fa and Persil, says it ‘did not entirely achieve the circularity-related targets that we set for the year 2025’.

Henkel wanted 100% of packaging to be designed for recycling or reusability but had achieved only 88% by last year. In 2021 it was 89%. The proportion of recycled plastic was intended to be more than 30% but the 2025 figure was 28%.

In 2021 it was 15%. And a goal of cutting production waste for every tonne of product by 50% fell 9% short at 41%.

‘Substantial progress‘

The company claims it has made substantial progress but viable recycling solutions for certain formats such as flexible packaging were not available, while infrastructure in certain markets was lacking.

‘With increased awareness of these technical and economic challenges, we have extended our ambitious target of 100% packaging designed for recycling to 2030,’ says Henkel’s annual report.

Falling short on recycled content is blamed on volatile market conditions, technical challenges, portfolio shifts and volume effects across regions. The new target is at least 35% by 2030.

‘We are confident that we will continue to increase the share of recycled plastic in our packaging further,’ the report says. ‘We have several projects planned across regions and have thus set a corresponding target for 2030.’

Ambitions

Concerning the production waste reduction target, Henkel reports that portfolio shifts led to an increase in products with a higher waste generation share. ‘This was also connected to site closures and related changes in production volumes.’

Introducing the report, Sylvie Nicol evp for human resources, infrastructure and sustainability, says the new ambitions set out for 2030 and beyond are ‘our compass’.

‘In our anniversary year, we sharpened this strategic approach by including new targets and commitments. Looking ahead, we will continue on our path to net-zero by 2045, while also advancing employee equity and strengthening sustainability standards in our supply chains.’