Babybel announces major change to packaging as part of 'sustainable transformation'

Everyone’s favourite spherical snack is getting a major facelift for 2026, the company behind Babybel cheese has confirmed.

We’re just days into the year, and we’ve already been graced with a wave of food announcements, including Walkers changing its logo, McDonald’s bringing out a Secret Menu, and Starbucks’ pistachio-fuelled drink offerings.

The internet has also been up in arms after Burger King debuted a new meal item with a particularly divisive topping while others were overjoyed to hear Greggs’ bakery chain rival was rapidly expanding.

The latest UK food development comes from the Bel Group, who is changing up its packaging strategy in the quest to become more environmentally friendly.

Babybel cheese is made from pasteurised milk, vegetarian rennet, lactic ferments, and salt, and is individually encased in blended wax.

Babybel packaging is about to get a 'milestone' makeover (Babybel)

If you’re buying the original product, then this wax blend will be red. Doing Veganuary? Expect the casing to be green.

Once covered, the Babybel was wrapped in cellophane.

But change is afoot, with the Bel Group confirming a serious packaging shake-up.

From mid-2026, you can expect the cellophane wrapper to be replaced with full-recyclable paper.

The new product covering will be made from FSC-certified, biosourced, renewable materials.

It’s believed the roll-out will also take place in the UK, Europe, the US, and Canada this year.

By 2027, 100 percent of Babybels will use responsibly sourced paper packaging, including Australia.

The savoury snack is changing tactic to become more sustainable (JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER/AFP via Getty Images)

Moreover, ‘responsibly sourced paper’ will be used exclusively across the entire Babybel Group’s range by 2030. This includes Kiri, and The Laughing Cow.

Tesco shoppers may have already come across the new-and-improved Babybel, with the company selecting the grocery store to be its paper packaging guinea pig in December 2025.

Speaking out on the change, Justine de Monès, marketing manager at Bel UK, said: “Launching paper wrappers with Tesco is an important milestone in our commitment to making all Babybel packaging recyclable.

“Moving to recyclable paper packaging is a decisive milestone in Babybel’s sustainable transformation.”

She added: “It also reflects the wider work across the Bel portfolio to actively improve packaging.”

Meanwhile Delphine Chatelin, Director of RID at the Bel Group, said the decision wasn't simply about ‘replacing one material with another’, but instead ‘rethinking the entire protection system to ensure product quality and safety from production to consumption’.

We could be saying goodbye to the iconic wax casing soon (Babybel)

"Our objective is to offer consumers the same iconic and enjoyable experience while meeting their expectations for sustainability and convenience, with packaging that is environmentally responsible and perfectly adapted to the product's lifecycle," she said, as per Honey Kitchen.

Plans are also in place to banish the iconic red wax, according to a post on the Babybel UK website.

“Every day we’re striving to be more and more sustainable! We’re looking beyond the net for fully-recyclable packaging solutions and reimagining our red wax by finding ways to use materials that are better for the environment, like plant-based wax. Stay tuned,” the statement read.