Whittaker's trials compostable Peanut Slab wrapper in Wellington

Whittaker's is trialling a new compostable wrapper for its Peanut Slab. Photo / Supplied

New Zealand chocolate producer Whittaker's is trialling a compostable Peanut Slab wrapper for the Wellington region in a new partnership launched today.

The chocolate will be in specially-marked, plant-based compostable packaging available at participating stores.

Each store will have a unique For The Better Good collection box, which the wrappers can be returned to. Alternatively, the packaging can be disposed of in home compost bins.

For The Better Good has a nationwide Better Collection system which enables their compostable water bottles to be returned to retail partners for processing in their private compost sites.

Whittaker's is based in Porirua and For The Better Good has an Edible Earth Urban Micro Farm in Cannons Creek, also in Porirua.

The trial is part of a broader programme at Whittaker's to review and test a range of sustainable packaging options.

Co-chief operating officer Holly Whittaker said there were no easy solutions to identifying packaging that is genuinely sustainable while meeting other feasibility requirements.

The Porirua-based chocolate company was founded in Christchurch in 1896. Photo / Supplied

"There are many factors we need to assess before making any decisions on potential use across Whittaker's range in the future.

"These include any impacts on product quality, performance in the factory and in-store, likely at-scale feasibility of collection and disposal of the compostable wrappers, and whether retailers and Whittaker's Chocolate Lovers have a good experience with the packaging."

The company is working towards 100 per cent sustainable packaging by 2025. Currently more than three quarters of its packaging is already recyclable.

Whittaker said compostable packaging had the potential to end up in the wrong place due to the lack of collection and composting infrastructure. The company was impressed by the work For The Better Good has done to address this.

Participating stores include New World Porirua, New World Kapiti, New World Paremata, New World Thorndon, Pak'nSave Porirua, Z Porirua, Mitre 10 Porirua, BP Porirua, The Warehouse Porirua and Mobil Porirua.

The trial is expected to run for about eight weeks.