CREATORS of one of the world's most popular chocolate bars have pledged to become carbon neutral by 2025.

As part of the plan, KitKat will cut the emissions generated through the sourcing of ingredients, the manufacturing and distribution processes by more than half.

Most emissions occur when producing ingredients like cocoa and milk which will be reduced through initiatives like restoring forests and supporting a transition to regenerative agriculture.

KitKat is made in York with Nestlé last year investing £800,000 in the Haxby Road factory to create three new versions, the KitKat Senses.

The new KitKat carbon neutral pledge supports the company’s ongoing efforts to reduce its environmental footprint. Nestlé is committed to reaching net zero emissions everywhere by no later than 2050.

The brand is currently working with The Carbon Trust climate change and sustainability consultancy to measure its carbon footprint.

Deforestation is a global driver of carbon emissions in the agricultural supply chain.

Over the last decade, Nestlé has used various tools including certification, supply chain mapping and satellite imagery, to achieve its no-deforestation commitment.

Nestlé is also focusing on forest conservation and restoration. Earlier this month, Nestlé joined other organisations to launch the Rimba Collective. This initiative supports the protection and restoration of more than 500,000 hectares of tropical forest landscapes in Southeast Asia, where the company sources its ingredients.

KitKat will expand its work with cocoa, palm oil, cereals, sugar and dairy farmers to support regenerative practices. Farming methods such as reducing synthetic inputs, better management of soils and tree planting can help draw down carbon from the atmosphere, enhance biodiversity and boost on-farm productivity. To support this, KitKat will help farmers plant five million shade trees where it sources its cocoa by 2025.

KitKat is also working to improve the environmental footprint of its factories. It has reduced the energy required to produce KitKat by more than 40 per cent per tonne of product since 2000. Nestlé is using renewable electricity at some manufacturing sites and aims to use 100 per cent renewable electricity for all KitKat factories before the end of 2025.