As plastic waste continues to pose one of the most pressing environmental challenges in Nigeria and around the world, Nestlé Nigeria is taking bold steps to redesign everyday choices with long-term impact. The latest move comes from its water brand, Nestlé Pure Life, which has now rolled out clear bottle caps across all sizes in its range.
What may seem like a small design tweak is, in fact, a major shift toward smarter, more sustainable packaging. By removing the traditional blue pigmentation from its caps, Nestlé has made the bottles easier to recycle, supporting faster and more efficient sorting by recyclers and reducing material contamination during processing.
The new clear cap was initially introduced with the 33cl bottle size and has now been extended across the brand’s entire portfolio, with the exception of Nestlé Pure Life Protect. It is a change rooted in both design thinking and environmental responsibility.
According to Olutayo Olatunji, Business Executive Officer, Nestlé Waters, the decision is a deliberate part of the brand’s sustainability roadmap.
“At Nestlé Pure Life, we care about people and the planet. This is not just a packaging update. It reflects our commitment to creating a 360-degree hydration experience that is safe, innovative, and environmentally conscious. From introducing bottles with 50 percent recycled PET to now eliminating colored caps, every step we take is guided by our responsibility to reduce plastic waste,” he said.
Nestlé Pure Life remains the only water brand in Nigeria currently using 50 percent rPET (recycled polyethylene terephthalate) in its bottles. This reduces the need for virgin plastic and aligns with the company’s global ambition to ensure that 100 percent of its packaging is either recyclable or reusable by 2025.
For Nestlé Nigeria, the clear cap is more than a product feature. It is a statement of intent. One that reflects the company’s evolving role as both a producer and a responsible environmental partner.
Victoria Uwadoka, Corporate Communications, Public Affairs and Sustainability Lead, described the innovation as a continuation of Nestlé’s sustainability journey.
“Sustainability at Nestlé is about designing with purpose. The clear cap was chosen because it supports our recycling partners, improves material circularity, and contributes to a cleaner planet. It is a small change with a big impact,” she said.
With this development, Nestlé Nigeria is positioning itself at the forefront of packaging transformation in Africa, where the recycling value chain still faces infrastructure gaps, low public awareness, and rising consumption of single-use plastics.
By focusing on design solutions that support recyclers and promote responsible disposal, Nestlé is helping bridge those gaps and offering a model for circular innovation in the region.
As consumers become more conscious of what they buy and how it impacts the environment, choices like this set a new standard for what sustainable packaging can and should look like.
Nestlé Pure Life’s clear cap is more than transparent. It is transformational.
