{"id":928939,"date":"2026-10-15T10:28:19","date_gmt":"2026-10-15T10:28:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/928939\/"},"modified":"2026-10-15T10:28:19","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T10:28:19","slug":"why-is-nestle-discontinuing-its-paper-based-nespresso-capsules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/928939\/","title":{"rendered":"Why is Nestl\u00e9 discontinuing its paper-based Nespresso capsules?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nestl\u00e9<\/a> will no longer offer paper-based capsules for its Nespresso<\/a> coffee brand \u2013 a decision it attributes to consumer feedback and product quality.<\/p>\n

Previously, Nestl\u00e9 joined forces with Huhtamaki<\/a>\u00a0to develop home-compostable, paper-based Nespresso capsules<\/a>. Launched in France in November 2022, they were set to be piloted with consumers in France and Switzerland the following year before being distributed more widely.<\/p>\n

The capsules were made using 82% paper pulp and featured a thin, compostable biopolymer film as a protective barrier.<\/p>\n

Thomasine Kamerling, vice president for Sustainability and Communications at Huhtamaki, told Packaging Europe<\/a> that the wood fibre was sourced from certified, sustainably managed forests in Europe, and that the capsules were certified for home composting with other organic waste.<\/p>\n

On its FAQ page<\/a>, Nespresso explains that its paper-based capsules were intended as an \u2018additional choice\u2019 to the conventional aluminium format \u2013 all without compromising on the product\u2019s flavour.<\/p>\n

It also claims that the aluminium and paper-based capsules demonstrated similar environmental impacts in an initial Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). A Nestl\u00e9 spokesperson told t-online<\/a> that one cup of espresso produces an estimated 79 grams of CO2 with a paper capsule and 81 grams with an aluminium capsule.<\/p>\n

Now Nespresso believes that aluminium capsules are the \u2018best option\u2019 for maintaining the quality of its freshly roasted coffee. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we launched our paper-based capsules, we clearly communicated that they are not more sustainable than aluminium capsules, as both products have a comparable environmental footprint,\u201d Nespresso explains in its FAQ. \u201cWe have carefully analyzed customer feedback and are now more convinced than ever that aluminium is the best choice for preserving the taste and aroma of Nespresso coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n

Commenting on the development, Liplid<\/a> CEO Jesper Berthold stated: \u201cAluminium foil is close to a perfect barrier: almost no oxygen, light or water vapour gets through. A paper capsule relies on a thin bio-based layer to keep oxygen out, and roasted coffee starts losing its aroma as soon as oxygen reaches it.<\/p>\n

\u201cPaper is excellent at many things. Being a gas barrier on its own isn\u2019t one of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nespresso states its ongoing commitment to working alongside authorities and consumers to develop public collection and recycling systems for aluminium capsules, increasing their efficiency and boosting recycling rates.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe remain fully committed to our recycling initiatives and are pleased to see that recycling is becoming increasingly easier and more convenient for our consumers across Europe,\u201d the brand concludes.<\/p>\n

Last year, Nespresso Canada<\/a> and \u00c9co Entreprises Qu\u00e9bec<\/a> expanded their \u2018green bag\u2019 coffee capsule recycling programme<\/a> across all municipalities in Quebec \u2013 aiming to simplify the consumer recycling process while complying with EPR.<\/p>\n

In other news, Lavazza North America<\/a> has introduced Tabl\u00ec \u2013 a single-serve coffee tab<\/a> with no capsule, individual wrapping or coating \u2013 to consumers in the United States. Each tab is made entirely from compressed coffee that expands as it brews.<\/p>\n

If you liked this story, you might also enjoy:<\/p>\n

The ultimate guide to packaging innovation in 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation: what to know in 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Everything you need to know about global packaging sustainability regulation<\/a><\/p>\n

Strategic learnings from the Sustainable Packaging Summit<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Nestl\u00e9 will no longer offer paper-based capsules for its Nespresso coffee brand \u2013 a decision it attributes to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":928940,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[64,63,75,128],"class_list":["post-928939","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-environment","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-environment","tag-science"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/928939","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=928939"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/928939\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/928940"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=928939"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=928939"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=928939"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}