What are recycled plastic bottles or rPET?
rPET (recycled PET – PolyEthylene Terephthalate) bottles are made from plastic; safe for food contact, that has been recycled, reprocessed, and repurposed. Recycling helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing energy consumption. The usage of recycled materials to make new products reduces the need for virgin materials. This avoids greenhouse gas emissions that would result from extracting or mining virgin materials
What are recycled plastic bottles or rPET?
rPET (recycled PET – PolyEthylene Terephthalate) bottles are made from plastic; safe for food contact, that has been recycled, reprocessed, and repurposed. Recycling helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing energy consumption. The usage of recycled materials to make new products reduces the need for virgin materials. This avoids greenhouse gas emissions that would result from extracting or mining virgin materials
What is the difference between recyclable and recycled bottles?
Recyclable products are those that have the potential to be recycled after use; all our Pepsi bottles are already recyclable. Recycled products refer to all those products that already contain content from previously used material (i.e. have undergone the recycling process).
Are the label and cap on the bottles recyclable? If not, when can we expect them to be recyclable?
The label and cap are currently not recyclable. Efforts are underway to make progress on this aspect of recycling.
Is the new packaging hygienic?
The recycled plastic bottles* are hygienic and safe for use. The production process is in line with local regulatory standards and procedures, as well as PepsiCo’s own qualification and testing processes that ensure all products uphold our global manufacturing standards.
What is the purpose of launching recycled plastic bottles in Pakistan?
At PepsiCo, we aspire towards reducing, reusing and recycling our packaging which is safe for food contact. We have launched Pakistan’s first-ever beverage bottle made from recycled plastic and this is a meaningful first step towards our vision of developing a circular economy for plastics in Pakistan in line with our global pep+ (PepsiCo Positive) goals. We are making every effort to develop scale solutions for recycling which can benefit the entire industry and help foster a clean environment.
Why is packaging an important priority for PepsiCo?
Packaging plays an important role in protecting the food safety, quality, and freshness of our products, but we know that some of the properties that are beneficial in plastic such as its durability poses major challenges when it is not properly disposed of. It is why we are working to build a world where packaging never becomes waste. We are taking action to Reduce the amount of packaging we use, ensure more is Recycled and we are exploring how to Reinvent our packaging with new solutions to foster a healthier planet.
Do you have any ongoing efforts for developing a circular economy for plastics in the country?
PepsiCo has launched several meaningful programs to drive a circular economy and move towards its vision of a world where packaging never becomes waste in Pakistan. Earlier in 2021, we launched one of the country’s largest plastic waste collection programs to create positive environmental impacts. We are also running a ‘direct from home’ collection whereby consumers are encouraged to adopt positive recycling habits and are given free bulk water refills in exchange for used plastic bottles in collaboration with the Saaf Suthra Shehar.
How does rPET help protect the climate, and how does this compare to returnable bottles?
Generally, rPET has 30% less CO2 emissions compared to virgin fossil-fuel based PET. A glass bottle has much higher emissions than PET, like-for-like. As for returnable glass, the environmental impact depends on various factors such as the distance that the bottles have to travel from consumption to the cleaning and refilling facilities, the modes of transport used, the water consumption used in cleaning, etc. – so whether or not a returnable system has better emissions than a fully circular PET system that incorporates recycled PET into bottles needs to be judged on a case-by-case basis depending on the operations of these systems.
Which beverage brands will be offered in the recycled packaging?
We are commencing our rPET journey with the flagship brand Pepsi Cola (500 ml bottle) and will soon be expanding this to all our beverage brands in the due course of time.
Is the product safe, hygienic and halal to consume?
Yes, the recycled bottle is completely food grade, hygienic, and halal-certified to be used for beverages. The production process is in line with the Pakistan Standard and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) standards and local regulatory procedures. The facility where these bottles are produced is Halal-certified and FDA approved.
Is the recycled bottle available everywhere in Pakistan?
The recycled Pepsi plastic bottle is available to consumers in Karachi for now.
Does this change affect the price of the product?
No, this will not affect the recommended shelf price. We are delivering our sustainability goals through this launch while ensuring that no additional cost is borne by the customers.
Will the new packaging change the taste of Pepsi?
No. The packaging will not change the taste of the beverage.
Are you collaborating with any local entity for this initiative?
Yes, the Ministry of Climate Change, Government of Pakistan supports the initiative of Pepsi bottles made from recycled plastic in line with their ‘recycle plastics’ initiative.
Does PepsiCo have plans to use recycled plastic for its entire portfolio?
Moving to fully recycled plastic bottles across the board requires cooperation from different stakeholders at various levels. We are engaging these stakeholders on regulatory reform, investing in partnerships to boost recycling rates, advancing recycling infrastructure, building consumer awareness, and ultimately holding ourselves accountable to aggressive sustainability goals.
How are you supporting collection work to ensure that plastic waste is properly recycled?
We are aware that to drive a circular economy, we need to not only ensure we’re packaging our beverages in recycled bottles, but also encouraging people to recycle plastic bottles after the drink is consumed. To enable optimal recycling rates, we are investing in mass collection initiatives in partnership with large third-party companies and targeted collection drives in Pakistan. For example, we have partnered with several partners including Green Earth Recycling, WWF-Pakistan, Saaf Suthra Shehar, Ourosboros, and Novatex Limited to collect and recycle plastic waste. Moreover, we are working closely with our business partners and the authorities to further develop an accelerated waste collection and recycling infrastructure with the goal of ensuring 100% waste collection by 2025.
How can I play an active role as part of PepsiCo’s recycled plastic initiative?
Achieving a truly circular economy when it comes to the world of plastics is a collective effort and requires partnerships across the board, including our consumers. Consumers can play a huge part in the initiative by learning about the advantages of recycling and how it can make a difference in making a positive impact on the environment. Choosing products that are packaged in recyclable and recycled materials is the next step. Finding out more about your local recyclable materials collection programs and segregating waste is also crucial. This can be done at home or in your offices. With more people being aware of, and participating in, the recycling chain will mean more robust solutions. PepsiCo Pakistan leads a variety of recycling initiatives as mentioned above, and consumers are welcome to participate in them.
