According to data from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, about 6.3% of the plastic packaging PepsiCo produced in 2021 was PCR. | Zety Akhzar/Shutterstock
PepsiCo will increase its RPET use in Pepsi, Mountain Dew and Aquafina drink bottles in the U.S. in 2023, the company announced.
The beverage brand giant plans to roll out 100% RPET bottles for those brands in multiple areas of the U.S., with the company noting that shifting to 100% RPET reduces greenhouse gas emissions by about 30% per bottle, according to a press release.
By 2030, the company’s goal is to eliminate all virgin plastic in Pepsi-branded drink bottles.
The announcement came as the Purchase, N.Y.-based company launched what it calls “pep+ Partners for Tomorrow,” which is a platform to help the company’s business partners achieve their sustainability goals.
Partners for Tomorrow has a PET bottle collection program called CIRQU, formerly known as BottleLoop, that is run on a software platform provided by a company called Replenysh. CIRQU offers on-demand collection of used containers from foodservice and retail customers. The program expanded in 2022 and currently collects bottles and cans from 250 locations across 10 states, the release notes.
PepsiCo produced about 2.5 million metric tons of plastic packaging in 2021. Of that, about 6.3% was post-consumer plastic, according to Ellen MacArthur Foundation data.
California officials recently released PCR usage data among beverage brands, and the data showed PepsiCo averaged 16.8% PRC in its PET bottles in California in 2022. That was down from 23.1% the year before, but it still exceeded the state’s new mandatory minimum of 15%.
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