Why Energizer and Duracell are ditching plastic packaging  

It’s a subtle packaging tweak, but it highlights what it takes to get major brands to move away from plastic packaging. This new type of packaging hits sustainability goals, but there’s also a business case for it. Battery brands say it provides a better experience for both customers and retailers. This new type of packaging keeps batteries from tumbling out. And, it comes in shelf-ready displays that hold more inventory to help retailers cut down on stocking time.

Cari Curtis, Energizer’s senior director of global marketing, told Modern Retail that Energizer began looking at how to get rid of plastic in its packaging in 2023 as part of overall discussions around sustainability. Beyond switching to a box that can be recycled, Energizer took it as an opportunity to solve pain points around opening plastic blisters and leaving shoppers with a drawer full of loose batteries rolling around.

“It’s one thing to come out with a sustainable package. That’s fantastic and amazing. But we actually wanted to put together tangible benefits for our consumers and our retail trade partners, so we could make a make a difference and make it more intuitive for everybody who is touching the packages,” Curtis said.

The rollout follows a similar switch by competitor Duracell, which also began selling batteries in boxes in Walmart in January. The company told Packaging World the switch will reduce its material use by about 855,000 pounds per year. When Duracell tested the new packaging with Walmart shoppers in a new in-home testing program, customers overwhelmingly preferred it and said they appreciated the move to recyclable packaging.

At Energizer, the change is rolling out for household batteries that reach about 90% of its North American portfolio. The new box uses paper that’s FSC-certified, meaning it comes from trees that are harvested responsibly. But button batteries will still come in a blister-style package due to regulations around childproofing.

In coming up with the new packaging design at Energizer, Curtis said the hope was to make it more intuitive to meet customer needs. That required multiple rounds of figuring out what materials and design worked the best and what the label would look like. While the box was easier to navigate, early designs left shoppers in focus groups confused about how many batteries were inside the pack. Now the front of the boxes shows exactly how many are inside, whether a two-pack or twelve-pack.

The iconic Energizer Bunny is also on the front of the box for easy brand recognition, while copy focuses on the batteries being long-lasting. “We really wanted to make it intuitive for consumers to see what they’re buying, and we’ve really narrowed our claims into the ones that matter most, which tend to be about long-lasting performance,” Curtis said.

Matt Semmelhack, founder of reusable packaging company Boox, said changing up packaging is becoming a popular way for companies to address sustainability goals. It’s typically easier than changing the formulation of a product – and it’s also visible to consumers who may be looking to reduce waste. “You get about 90% of the consumer perception that you’re doing something just by changing the packaging,” he said.

He said since paper gets recycled more than plastic, it’s a swap that can help companies move toward a more circular economy. But beyond those benefits, making such changes often comes down to staying competitive. When one company makes a switch that resonates with consumers, others will follow. Over on Amazon, Energizer, Duracell, Amazon Basics and Powermax already sell batteries in bulk sizes that come in boxes or cardboard trays meant to be easily stacked and stored.

“It has to be a market-driven decision,” he said. “If Duracell makes a switch, then everyone else has to do it, or they’re going to lose market share.”