Beverage giant PepsiCo has announced a new packaging goal that will see the company double the percentage of all beverage servings delivered through reusable models from 10% to 20% by 2030.
The move is part of PepsiCo Positive (pep+) strategy, which puts sustainability and people at the centre of how the company seeks to create growth and value.
Aligned with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's 'Reuse – Rethinking Packaging' framework, PepsiCo will pursue four approaches to achieve its new target, including the expansion of its SodaStream business, both at home and in workplaces through SodaStream Professional.
Other approaches are building its refillable plastic (PET) and glass bottle offerings in partnership with PepsiCo bottlers; growing its fountain drinks business with reusable cups; and accelerating growth in powders and concentrates.
'Reusable And Refillable Options'
"Fundamentally transforming the traditional beverage consumption model will require making reusable and refillable options accessible and convenient, at scale, for consumers – and that's what PepsiCo aims to do," said Jim Andrew, chief sustainability officer at PepsiCo.
"PepsiCo will accelerate our investment in disruptive innovation and advocate for policies that allow us to scale up reusable packaging options, platforms and programmes so that we can offer consumers a wide variety of alternative ways to enjoy their favourite beverages while moving away from reliance on single-use packaging."
Since 2018, PepsiCo has focused on eliminating the need for single-use virgin plastic by offering its beverages in reusable packaging and on innovative platforms.
In the same year, it acquired SodaStream for $3.2 billion and pledged to create a circular economy for plastics by joining the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment.
Reusable Packaging Solutions
PepsiCo offers reusable packaging solutions in more than 80 markets around the world. In addition to SodaStream, refill and return options, many of its brands, including Gatorade, Propel, Muscle Milk and Evolve, are offered as concentrated powders or tablets to allow consumers to customise the drink to their preferences in their own containers.
"We know we cannot recycle our way out of this plastic pollution crisis," said Sander Defruyt, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's plastic initiative lead. "By avoiding single-use packaging waste in the first place, reuse business models are an important part of creating a circular economy."
"Our latest Global Commitment report illustrated the lack of progress on reuse across the industry, and highlighted a lack of ambition when it comes to reusing strategies. We welcome this significant step forward by PepsiCo and we hope other global brands will follow suit and similarly set quantitative reuse targets helping to reduce their use of virgin plastics in packaging," Defruyt added.
© 2022 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest packaging and design news. Article by Dayeeta Das. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
