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Recycled materials

Increase the proportion of recycled raw materials in our products

USING RECYCLED MATERIALS

Groupe SEB uses more and more recycled materials in its products. In 2013, it had set itself the target of incorporating 20% recycled materials in new products manufactured in-house and their packaging by 2020, which was exceeded in 2018. The Group is now aiming for a target of 50% recycled materials in its products and packaging by the end of 2023. At the end of 2023, the manufacture of the Group’s products and packaging incorporates 48% recycled materials (raw materials and components): the use of recycled materials is a key criterion of the Group’s eco-design process and is taken into account from the early stages of product development.​

 

METALS: MORE RECYCLED STAINLESS STEEL AND ALUMINUM IN COOKWARE ​

Across all products, in 2023, the stainless steel used by the Group was on average 60% recycled and this figure represents more than 83% of the stainless-steel goods manufactured in Europe (utensils, frying pans, saucepans, stockpots, pressure cookers, etc.). The use of recycled  stainless steel generates up to 75% less greenhouse gas emissions than stainless-steel from virgin materials (1).

recyclage

For aluminum, which is mainly used for Cookware, the proportion of recycled material is lower, but it is increasing year-on-year, thanks to the involvement and collaboration of the Purchasing and Marketing and Development teams, in particular: it was 36% in 2023, up 19 points compared to 2022. Using recycled aluminum produces 90% less greenhouse gases than primary aluminum (2). ​

Tefal launched its first range of 100% recycled aluminum products in 2009 (Natura). Three years later, it introduced the first recycling system for cookware in France. ​

(1) 85% recycled stainless steel made in Europe emits up to 75% less CO2 compared to stainless steel made in China based on a material study on  304 alloy by an independent agency​
(2) Environmental evaluation of recycling in France based on the life cycle analysis methodology, ADEME (French Environment and Energy Management Agency), April 2017​

Recycled plastic: significant progress

The Group’s recycled plastics strategy began 10 years ago with the Enjoy utensils, made from 95% recycled PET.

Gamme enjoy pet recyclé

It has since continued to ramp up efforts in this area, led by the Purchasing, Quality, Standards and Environment and Research departments in liaison with the Industry and Marketing departments: cooperation with recyclers to improve the quality of the plastics in question, verifying their regulatory compliance, performing injection and prototype testing, launching pre-production runs, etc.​

Compared to plastics from oil, recycled plastics reduces the impact on global warming by nearly 70% (3).

 In 2015, the Group was a pioneer in France, setting up the first circular economy loop for small electrical appliances, with Veolia and the Ecosystem eco-organization. This cooperation led to the first steam generator with a polypropylene casing made from recycled electrical and electronic appliances, produced in Pont-Evêque (Silence Steam, Rowenta). ​

Silence steam

 

​Rowenta extended use of this material to the Silence Force Compact (2018) vacuum cleaner bases through specific investment in production lines at the Vernon site. In 2021, this change was made on 63% of all bagged vacuum cleaners produced on the site.

 

The list of products using recycled plastic continues to grow in EMEA but also in South America and Asia, on all product families.​

(3) Environmental evaluation of recycling in France based on the life cycle analysis methodology, ADEME (French Environment and Energy Management Agency) 2017​