Packaging

Packaging is one area in which we could make a meaningful difference to our environmental footprint. We, therefore, seek to maximise the sustainability of our packaging by improving its circularity. That is why we have committed to making all our packaging fully recyclable by 2025. Meanwhile, we want to reduce our use of virgin material by increasing the recycled content in our packaging to 25% by 2025.

Guaranteeing that our packaging will perform as it is designed to, as well as be aesthetically good and safe for our consumers is an industrial norm. Our strategies include allocating R&D resources in sustainable packaging innovations and working closely with our stakeholders to find sustainable packaging solutions:

Reducing the amount of materials used in our packaging

• F&N has made a Group-wide commitment to reduce the weight of our packaging materials. In other words, we are decreasing the volume of packaging materials used, relative to the product’s size. Wherever possible, we actively reduce the use of materials that are less environmentally friendly – e.g. our product labels or the use of flexible packaging, by transitioning to PET and laminated paper packaging.

Increasing the usage of sustainable packaging materials

• We are actively working to incorporate a higher percentage of recycled content into our packaging materials without compromising our food safety and quality. In Thailand, we have successfully implemented the use of 100% recycled paper for corrugated cartons in our local products, and we look to increasing the proportion of recycled materials in our tinplate and plastic bottle packaging. Our environmentally conscious packaging for F&N ICE MOUNTAIN Drinking Water and BORNEO SPRINGS Natural Mineral Water features FSC-certified paper packaging, which is fully recyclable, and is complemented by a bio-based bottle cap made from sugar cane. Looking ahead, we plan to roll out more products with sustainable packaging solutions, including the introduction of Recycled PET in the near future. In addition, we are exploring new supplier and partner relationships to enhance our sourcing initiatives for renewable and bio-based packaging materials. By fostering these collaborations, we aim to further strengthen our commitment to sustainability and innovation in packaging.

Designing packaging to be recyclable

• We are enhancing the recyclability of both primary and secondary packaging in our product lines. This effort involves finding solutions for challenging packaging materials, such as labels, and being adaptable in our approach to identify alternative solutions.

Under a new Packaging Sustainability Policy, our Thai operations have committed to prioritising green packaging. This means, we will consider the impact of our packaging – be it aluminium cans, plastic or paper – from the design and development stage, to disposal post-consumption. This is supported by a Packaging Intensity Ratio Roadmap that is closely monitored.

In both Malaysia and Thailand, we encourage responsible post-consumption behaviour through school recycling programmes. Organised since 2007, the nationwide programme in Malaysia saw participation by over 1,700 schools in 2024. More importantly, the program has to date, prevented about 5 million kg of recyclable material from going to the landfill.

Further underlining our commitment to post-consumption management, F&NHB has become a founding member of the Malaysian Recycling Alliance (MAREA), a voluntary Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) organisation that focuses on significantly improving the collection and recycling of post-consumer packaging through a multi-stakeholder approach.

Through MAREA, F&NHB will be collaborating with the Malaysian Government and other stakeholders, including consumers, waste collectors, recyclers and industry players, to drive the singular goal of a greener Malaysia through circular economy solutions. MAREA is currently one of the stakeholder groups actively contributing to developing the Malaysia Plastic Sustainability Roadmap by the Ministry of Environment. To-date, MAREA has piloted seven recyclable collection projects by partnering with local councils in Ampang Jaya, Kuala Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Kuching, and recyclers to promote waste separation at source and facilitate recycling collection.