Novelis and Beiersdorf have announced that the iconic Nivea Creme tin is now made from 95% recycled aluminium.
The companies say that using a higher level of recycled content helps to lower the carbon footprint of the pack while maintaining the same durability and appearance as before.
A process of joint research and development allowed the partners to optimize alloy composition and manufacturing processes.
Novelis and Beiersdorf claim that recycling aluminium uses only 5% of the energy required to produce new aluminium. The recycled aluminium used in the product is sourced from Novelis’ recycling network which includes Novelis Nachterstedt, an advanced aluminium recycling centre that has an annual capacity of 400,000 tonnes.
The new Nivea Creme tin was launched in Germany at the beginning of 2026 and is scheduled to be made available in other markets in 2027.
This announcement follows a similar one made in 2024, when Beiersdorf announced that the Creme tin contained 80% recycled aluminium – a move that it predicted would cut roughly 8,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions from its operations by 2025.
When asked at that time why the pack was not made of 100% recycled aluminium, Philip Helm, a member of Beiersdorf’s packaging team, said: “One of the highest barriers for the use of recycled aluminium is the availability of the recycled material. We must be able to ensure a steady process at the supplier and in our own production centre here in Hamburg. But yes, I can imagine achieving 100% recycled aluminium in the future, as we will continue to work on the topic of sustainability, also together with our suppliers.”
