Kao accelerates initiatives to reduce plastic use and pioneers technology for film-to film recycling 

Kao, known for brands like John Frieda, Goldwell and Molton Brown, has published a roadmap outlining key strategies and milestones of the company’s mission to achieve net zero plastic packaging waste by 2040[1] and negative waste by 2050[2]. As part of this commitment, Kao is accelerating its reduction and recycling efforts, including new sustainable packaging initiatives in its three AEMEA Business Sectors, supporting both the reduction of fossil-based plastic and increased use of recycled material for packaging. To achieve its circularity goals, Kao is also driving global innovation in recycling and is introducing a newly developed technology for film-to-film recycling[3] with the first product containing the recycled material now launching in Japan. Kao is the world’s first company[4] applying this method to transform used refills[5] into new refill packs.
 
A roadmap to plastic packaging net zero waste by 2040 and negative waste by 2050

As part of its global ESG strategy and goal to achieve net zero plastic packaging waste by 2040 and negative waste by 2050, Kao is outlining key milestones and progress made in a plastic packaging circularity roadmap. The roadmap is based on Kao’s Philosophy & Action on Plastic Packaging, focused on the reduction of its use of plastic packaging and the recirculation of used plastic. By 2030, Kao aims to have
overcome its peak use of fossil-based plastic and have boosted the recycle rate for plastics it uses to over 50% (by weight). By 2040, Kao plans to have the quantity of plastic recycled equivalent to the amount of plastic packaging produced by the company. By 2050, the quantity of plastic recycled is planned to be greater than the amount produced.
 
Accelerating Reduction and Recycling Measures
 
In line with Kao’s approach to plastic packaging, the company is working to reduce plastic use by making containers and packaging thinner, increasing package capacity, making products more concentrated and using thinner film packaging for primary containers, promote reuse by offering refill and replacement products, replace fossil-derived raw materials with sustainable alternatives and promote recycling so as to recirculate used plastic packaging.
 
Over the past years, Kao has been particularly successful in reducing the amount of plastic used compared to original packaging by offering refill and replacement products. Together with more compressed products, these have globally accounted for a reduction rate of 79% vs. the original packs. Whereas these packaging
formats have been established in Kao’s home market Japan for many years already, refills are becoming more and more present in the western regions today. In its three business sectors in the AEMEA region, Kao is increasing its initiatives in this area to support its reduction targets and address growing consumer needs for products with a lower footprint. In its professional Salon Business, Kao has introduced refill packs for its Oribe and KMS brands, requiring up to 75% less plastic than the original packaging which equals a reduction of the packaging’s carbon footprint of up to 66%. For its Goldwell hair lightening range SilkLift, Kao even turned the primary pack, a plastic box, into a pouch, saving 80% of plastic and 66% of the packaging related carbon emissions. In its Consumer Care Business, Kao is trialing refill packs for its iconic hair care brands John Frieda and Guhl, leading to a plastic reduction of more than 60% compared to the standard shampoo packaging. Additionally, Kao has adjusted its packaging design for several consumer care products to reduce plastic and enhance recyclability. Kao’s British luxury brand Molton Brown is offering refill pouches for its hand wash as well as bath and shower gel ranges and has recently launched an infinite refill bottle, made of 100% recycled aluminium[6] – allowing consumers to reduce their plastic footprint by 63% when used in
combination with the pouches. Since the brand launched its refill pouches in 2020, customers were able to reduce their plastic footprint by 4.9 tonnes, which is the equivalent weight of over 200,000 Molton Brown bottles. By 2030, Molton Brown plans that 50% of what the brand sells in Retail is reusable or refillable.
 
A key driver of Kao’s recycle initiatives is the increased use of recycled material in packaging. In its core market Japan, Kao was able to significantly increase its use of recycled plastics in PET packaging in 2022 – 69% of PET plastic containers sold last year used recycled PET plastics vs. only 19% in 2021. The use of recycled material also increased in the AEMEA region. Kao Salon Division recently launched their Topchic Zero colour range with packaging made from up to 100% recycled and recyclable material, including a tube made from 100% recycled aluminum and a 99% recycled tube cap. The bottles of the relaunched Oribe
Renewal Remedies are made of 100% rPET. Additionally, Kao Salon Division has introduced recycled material for packaging of its KMS and Goldwell brand, with more initiatives planned over the next years. Kao’s Consumer Care Business is transitioning to 30% PCR in its John Frieda shampoo and conditioner tubes as well as 45% PCR in its John Frieda Frizz Ease Serum bottle. Additionally, the liquid cleanser bottles within the AEMEA Biore range contain 30% PCR or greater[7] and all Guhl shampoo bottles contain 99% PCR. Molton Brown make almost all their plastic bottles with 50% recycled plastic – in 2022, this reduced the use of virgin plastic by 141.5 tonnes, which is the equivalent weight of 6 million Molton Brown 300ml bottles.
 
Global innovation in recycling: Kao introduces film-to-film recycling technology
 
Next to using recycled plastic in their packaging, Kao is taking two further approaches to increase its overall recycle activity: utilizing its own technology to recycle used plastics into useful products and services (“positive recycling”) and increasing the quantity of plastic that Kao collects with partners and that can be used by industry and consumers. Kao just introduced an innovation supporting these areas: A technology for film-to-film recycling that has made it possible to use film recycled from used refill packs in product packaging, which was previously difficult to achieve. Kao is the world’s first company[3] to use film-to-film recycling technology to transform used refill packs collected from the public and other sources into new refill packs. The first product with the newly developed recycled material has launched in Japan end of May.
 
While only limited quantities of the product using this packaging will be available initially, Kao is aiming to bring more to the market, with the goal of putting into practical use and launching products of innovative film-based packaging made from collected refill packs by 2025. In future, Kao will work on designing packaging made from a single material to facilitate recycling and assess different recycling technologies. The company also intends to disseminate its technology within the consumer products industry to promote recycling as widely as possible across the industry and the public. At the same time, to achieve social implementation Kao will work on devising a system for increasing the quantity of used refill packs collected and reduce the cost of making recycled film.

[1] The amount of plastic used in Kao’s packaging containers and the amount that Kao was involved in
resource recovery (the amount of recycled plastic that is converted into valuable products by Kao’s original technology + the amount of recycled plastic that Kao used in packaging containers + the amount of plastic Kao collected from society as a whole, which is then recycled, and turned into pellets) is roughly equal.
[2] Kao’s involvement in plastic recycling is greater than Kao’s plastic packaging container usage.
[3] Removing packs with resin incorporating metallic film from the product stream and recycling into refill packs incorporating metal particles from a metallic overlayer.
[4] “World’s first” is described based on Claim 14 of international patent application WO2022 / 124146A (Claim 14 has novelty according to the opinion of the International Searching Authority).
[5] Includes both packs with resin incorporating metallic film and packs with resin incorporating a metallic overlayer.
[6] Excluding pump.
[7] Excluding all acne cleansers in the US.