Cola giant PepsiCo has announced that it aims to use 50% recycled plastic (rPET) in its bottles across the European Union by 2030.
The company has also set an interim target of switching to 45% recycled plastic packaging by 2025.
This goal will be applicable to drinks sold in PET bottles, including Pepsi, Pepsi MAX, 7Up, Tropicana and Naked.
The company will also implement the transition programme across PepsiCo’s Beverage operations, including company-owned and franchise labels.
As of 2017, the company was already using 13% recycled plastic (rPET) in its EU beverage operations.
The initiative will help the company to triple its use of recycled plastics, amounting to more than 50,000 tonnes of rPET.
“At PepsiCo, we take our responsibility to protecting the environment seriously and are steadfast in our commitment to finding sustainable ways to create our products. We have been on a mission in the European Union to advance a culture that encourages and supports recovery and recycling of packaging, " said Silviu Popovici, president of PepsiCo Europe Sub-Saharan Africa.
The move comes in support of the European Commission’s voluntary recycled plastics pledging campaign.
The campaign aims to ensure that by 2025, ten million tonnes of recycled plastics will be used in developing new products for the EU market.
The initiative builds on PepsiCo’s broader goal to achieve 100% recyclable, compostable or biodegradable packaging by 2025.
“Developing an effective, long-term approach to sustainable packaging requires a multifaceted effort, and PepsiCo is committed to collaborating with the many stakeholders involved to ensure it succeeds in developing a Circular Economy for plastics into the future.
"With serious under-capacity in the supply of affordable recycled plastics suitable for food packaging, we call on public and private stakeholders in the recycling system, including the European Commission, to join us and make the needed investments to expand recycling capacity,” Popovici added.
According to the company's current estimates, 90% of its beverage packaging worldwide is fully recyclable.