On Monday, PepsiCo announced it would double its global reusable packaging goal from 10 percent to 20 percent across all beverage servings.
As part of the company’s strategic, end-to-end business transformation, the company said the new goals are part of its focus on sustainability and people.
The company said offering its beverages in reusable packaging and on innovative platforms that eliminate single-use virgin plastic is not new to the company. Instead, it has been a part of the company’s Sustainable Packaging Vision since 2018. That vision included a commitment to a circular economy for plastics and an investment in SodaStream, the world’s leading reuse platform.
Previously, the company stated its goal to reduce virgin plastic per serving by 50 percent by 2030 and to become NetZero by 2040.
“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, PepsiCo. “PepsiCo will accelerate our investment in disruptive innovation and advocate for policies that allow us to scale up reusable packaging options, platforms, and programs so that we can offer consumers a wide variety of alternative ways to enjoy their favorite beverages while moving away from reliance on single-use packaging.”
The company said it has aligned with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s “Reuse – Rethinking Packaging” framework and will pursue four approaches to achieving the 20 percent goal by a) expanding its SodaStream business at home and work, b) building out its refillable plastic (PET) and glass bottle offerings in major markets including in major markets including Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, Chile, Germany, and the Philippines, c) growing its fountain drink business with reusable cups, and d) accelerating growth in powders and concentrates.
“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 reuse 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.”