Unilever and Saica Group announce a new milestone in their collaboration with the launch of a sustainable packaging solution for Axe deodorant duos—an iconic Unilever brand and leader in the French men’s deodorant market. This innovation has been available in France since the last quarter of 2025.
As part of their shared commitment to innovation and sustainability, Unilever is replacing the plastic shrink film on Axe promotional packs with a paper banderoling solution developed by Saica Group.
This pioneering project illustrates Unilever’s determination to reduce the use of virgin plastic in its flexible packaging, with the goal of decreasing its virgin plastic footprint by 40% by 2028 compared to 2019 levels. For its part, Saica is pursuing its strategy to reduce the total weight of plastic in the packaging produced for its customers by up to 20%. The new paper band is designed for recycling, thereby contributing to the circular economy—a central pillar of Saica’s vision.
This initiative anticipates the future European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which plans to ban single-use plastic packaging for promotional bundles. By adopting a paper solution, Unilever and Saica are aligning with the key objectives of the PPWR: reducing virgin plastic, improving recyclability, and supporting the circular economy.
Leveraging its expertise in fiber-based packaging, Saica has designed a complete solution to support Unilever through this transition. The band was developed using high-performance paper that facilitates easy unwrapping and handling by the consumer. The paper adhesive tape also offers mechanical strength, durability during transport, and compatibility with high-resolution printing processes to ensure a premium visual impact on the shelf.
Saica also provides technical support ranging from equipment specification to the installation and commissioning of strapping machines adapted to Unilever’s promotional ranges. The new system also offers significant energy savings by replacing high-temperature shrink film with a low-energy strapping process, without compromising on speed or quality.
This partnership illustrates the strategic alignment between Unilever and Saica to accelerate the transition toward more sustainable packaging solutions through a combination of material innovation, engineering, and a shared commitment to circularity.
Ibon Aznar, Head of Sustainable Innovation for Flexible Packaging, stated: “This partnership with Unilever demonstrates how innovation and sustainability can go hand in hand to generate a concrete impact. Thanks to this paper solution, we are anticipating regulatory changes while preserving technical performance and the quality of the customer’s design. At Saica Flex, we remain determined to support our customers in their transition toward truly circular packaging.”
Photo/Saica
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