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Unilever To Introduce Recyclable Toothpaste Tubes

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Unilever Nigeria Plc

Unilever’s oral care brands including Signal, Pepsodent, and Closeup have announced plans to convert their entire global toothpaste portfolio to recyclable tubes by 2025.

After four years of development, the recyclable tubes will be available later this year in two of Unilever’s biggest oral care markets: France and India. First launching in France with the company’s leading oral care brand Signal, the new tubes will be rolled out across its biggest range, Integral 8, which represents over a third (35 percent) of Unilever’s toothpaste portfolio in the country.

Traditionally, most toothpaste tubes are made from a combination of plastic and aluminium, which gives the packaging flexibility but also makes it difficult to recycle. Instead of aluminium, the new tubes will use a material made mostly of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), which is one of the most widely recyclable plastics globally. It will also be the thinnest plastic material available on the toothpaste market at 220-microns, which will reduce the amount of plastic needed for each tube. To encourage wider industry change, the innovation will be made available for other companies to adopt.

Samir Singh, Executive Vice President, Global Skin Cleansing and Oral Care said: “Plastic pollution is undoubtedly one of the biggest environmental challenges of our time. We can see its impact on our planet every day, including the billions of toothpaste tubes dumped into landfills every year. That’s why I’m proud of this latest packaging innovation which will see our entire toothpaste portfolio shift to recyclable tubes by 2025. It’s been a long and challenging journey to get to this point, but we hope this transformation will inspire the wider industry to also make the change.”

The design has been approved by RecyClass, which sets the recyclability standard for Europe, as well as laboratories in Asia and North America. Meeting these rigorous requirements means the new tubes can be recycled within standard HDPE recycling streams.

Working in partnership to drive innovation

Unilever’s oral care brands partnered with multiple global packaging manufacturers including EPL (formerly Essel Propack), Amcor, Huhtamaki and Dai Nippon Indonesia (DNPI). In addition, formulation and flavour experts at Unilever were essential throughout the testing process to ensure the new tubes continued to protect the quality and taste of the product.

Babu Cherian, R&D Oral Care Packaging Director at Unilever said: “Recyclable tubes mark a key milestone in our packaging journey and, more significantly, they have the potential to transform the whole oral care industry. Together with our manufacturing partners, we’re making the new design available to any producers interested in adopting the new material, with the ambition to accelerate industry change.”

Alan Conner, Vice President – Europe, EPL (formerly Essel Propack) said: “When it comes to making oral care sustainable, it has been challenging to develop a product that is recyclable without adding extra plastic to the tube. EPL is a global market leading supplier of toothpaste tubes and is delighted to support this breakthrough innovation representing a major turning point for the oral care industry and is a key first step in reducing plastic waste, enabling consumers to minimize their impact on the planet. Given the size and scale of Unilever, their commitment to convert 100 percent of its global toothpaste portfolio by 2025 will unquestionably lead others to take action as well.”

To drive further change across the waste management industry, Unilever is working with global recycling organisations to help ensure that the new tubes are collected and recycled. This will be the case in France, where consumers can put the new tubes in their home recycling bin ready to be collected and turned into new products.

This is only the start of Unilever’s oral care journey. Brands including Signal also plan to introduce more PCR (post-consumer recycled) plastic into their recyclable tubes by 2022 in France and other European markets. This will significantly reduce the use of virgin plastic and support the move towards a circular economy.

More broadly, the innovation contributes to Unilever’s commitment to ensure that 100 percent of its plastic packaging is designed to be reusable, recyclable, or compostable, and its ambition to help collect and process more plastic packaging than it sells.

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Guinness Nigeria Postpones Spirits Importation Exit, Extends Deal with Diageo

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Guinness - Investors King

Guinness Nigeria Plc has announced a delay in its plan to halt the importation of spirits as it extended its agreement with multinational alcoholic beverage company Diageo until 2025.

The decision, communicated through a corporate notice filed with the Nigerian Exchange Limited on Tuesday, cited a longer-than-expected transition period for separating its business from Diageo’s.

Initially slated for discontinuation in April 2024, the importation of premium spirits like Johnnie Walker, Singleton, Baileys, and others under the 2016 sale and distribution agreement with Diageo will now continue for an additional year.

The extension comes as the process of business separation between Guinness Nigeria, a subsidiary of Diageo, and Diageo itself faces unexpected delays.

In October, Guinness Nigeria had announced plans to cease importing spirits from Diageo, a move aimed at reducing its foreign exchange requirements.

However, the separation process has encountered unforeseen hurdles, necessitating the extension of the importation agreement.

The notice, signed by the company’s Legal Director/Company Secretary, Abidemi Ademola, highlighted the ongoing efforts by Guinness Nigeria and Diageo to implement the separation, originally scheduled for completion by April 2024.

The extension underscores the complexity of disentangling the businesses and ensuring a smooth transition.

Guinness Nigeria reaffirmed its commitment to the long-term growth strategy, aligning with Diageo’s decision to establish a new, wholly-owned spirits-focused business.

Despite the delay, both companies remain dedicated to managing the importation and distribution of international premium spirits in West and Central Africa, with Nigeria as a key hub.

The postponement comes amid challenges faced by Guinness Nigeria, including significant exchange rate losses, which amounted to N49 billion in the 2023 half-year operations.

Despite these setbacks, the company remains optimistic about its future prospects in the Nigerian market.

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Private Sector Warns: Interest Rate Hike to Trigger Job Cuts and Inflation Surge

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Private employers

As the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) announced a hike in the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) from 22.75% to 24.75%, concerns have been raised by the private sector regarding the potential ramifications on job stability and inflationary pressures.

The move, aimed at curbing inflation and stabilizing the exchange rate, has prompted apprehension among business operators who fear adverse effects on the economy.

Representatives from the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and the Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists have voiced their worries over the increased difficulty in accessing affordable credit.

They argue that the higher interest rates will impede the private sector’s ability to borrow funds for expansion and operational activities.

This, they fear, could lead to a reduction in business investments and subsequently result in widespread job cuts across various sectors.

The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) acknowledged the necessity of the interest rate hike but emphasized the potential negative consequences it may bring.

While describing it as a “price businesses would have to pay,” the LCCI highlighted the current fragility of the economy, exacerbated by various policy missteps.

They cautioned that the increased cost of borrowing could stifle entrepreneurial activities and discourage expansion plans critical for economic growth and job creation.

Experts have echoed these concerns, warning that the tightening monetary conditions could exacerbate inflationary pressures and hinder economic recovery efforts.

With inflation already soaring at 31.70%, the rate hike could further fuel price hikes, especially in essential goods and services, thus eroding the purchasing power of consumers.

However, CBN Governor Yemi Cardoso defended the decision, citing the imperative to address current inflationary pressures and ensure sustained exchange rate stability.

He emphasized the need to restore the purchasing power of ordinary Nigerians and expressed confidence that the economy would stabilize by the end of the year.

Despite assurances from the CBN, stakeholders remain cautious, calling for a more nuanced approach that balances the need for price stability with the imperative of fostering economic growth and job creation.

As businesses brace for the impact of the interest rate hike, all eyes are on the evolving economic landscape and the measures taken to mitigate its effects on livelihoods and inflation.

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Breaking Barriers: Transcorp Hotels CEO Shares Journey from Crisis to Success

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Dupe Olusola

Dupe Olusola, the Managing Director/CEO of Transcorp Hotels Plc, reflects on her remarkable journey from navigating the depths of a global pandemic to achieving unprecedented success in the hospitality industry.

Appointed in March 2020, amidst the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Olusola found herself at the helm of a company grappling with the severe economic fallout and operational challenges inflicted by the crisis.

Faced with a drop in occupancy rates from 70% to a mere 5%, Olusola and her team were confronted with the daunting task of steering Transcorp Hotels through uncharted waters.

Undeterred by the adversity, they embarked on a journey of transformation, leveraging creativity and resilience to navigate the turbulent landscape.

Implementing innovative strategies such as introducing drive-through cinemas, setting up on-site COVID-19 testing facilities, and enhancing take-away services, Transcorp Hotels adapted to meet the evolving needs of its guests and ensure continuity amidst the crisis.

Embracing disruption as a catalyst for growth, Olusola fostered a culture of collaboration and teamwork, rallying her colleagues to overcome obstacles and embrace change.

Through unwavering determination and a commitment to excellence, Transcorp Hotels emerged from the pandemic stronger than ever, breaking profit and revenue records year after year.

“It’s indeed been a great opportunity to learn and relearn, to lead and to grow. When you see success stories, remember it’s a journey with twists, turns, ups and downs but in the end, it will all be okay”, she said.

Olusola’s leadership exemplifies the power of adaptability and perseverance, inspiring her team to transcend limitations and chart a course towards unprecedented success.

As Transcorp Hotels continues to flourish under her stewardship, Olusola remains steadfast in her dedication to driving innovation, fostering growth, and breaking barriers in the hospitality industry.

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