From Your Kitchens to Our Planet: How the Repurposing Efforts of South Africans Are Making a Difference

As Sustainability Day was commemorated recently, South Africans are reminded that small actions, like repurposing everyday items, collectively make a difference in protecting the planet.

This growing awareness is not new to the country; it has long been woven into the fabric of South African culture. Repurposing has been a natural extension of how we live for generations - finding new uses for items before the word "sustainability" was even coined. Whether it's transforming a NESCAFÉ bottle into a jar for spices or reusing a Ricoffy tin for home storage, these creative efforts demonstrate that South Africans' resourcefulness is not born out of necessity, but rather out of mindful participation in the circular economy.

Mark Helfrich, Packaging Engineering Manager for Nestlé East & Southern Africa Region (ESAR), emphasizes this: "Repurposing our packaging is about rethinking how we use materials to ensure that nothing goes to waste. South Africans have always carried these principles in their homes, integrating circular principles in their daily lives long before it became a global movement."

Repurposing is about more than reducing waste - it's about fostering creativity in the home and contributing to the planet's health. Nestlé, the world's largest food and beverage company, has taken significant strides to support these efforts. The business has committed to ambitious plastic neutrality goals, working towards ensuring that by 2025, 100% of its packaging will be recyclable or reusable. This initiative ties directly into its broader environmental commitment: to reduce plastic waste and design innovative packaging solutions that address plastic pollution head-on.