With a portfolio of well-known brands such as Gatorade, Aquafina, and its namesake cola, its prominence in the beverage space has unsurprisingly made PepsiCo a target for change.
So PepsiCo plans to double the percentage of all beverage servings it sells delivered through reusable models from a current 10% to 20% by 2030 and will focus on four areas to meet its goal: expand the company’s SodaStream business; build out refillable plastic (PET) and glass bottle offerings; grow its fountain drinks platform with reusable cups; and accelerate growth in powders and concentrates.
As consumers place greater importance on the role food and beverage companies play in the environment, nearly every large CPG has announced some type of commitment to reducing their footprint.
Earlier this year, PepsiCo agreed to reduce its use of single-use packaging by the end of 2022 in response to a shareholder proposal from As You Sow, a sustainability nonprofit. Pathways to meet this target, such as doing more with SodaStream or powders, were mentioned by PepsiCo in its latest announcement on Monday.
“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, PepsiCo’s chief sustainability officer.
PepsiCo said the updated packaging goal will help it meet its target of reducing virgin plastic per serving by 50% by 2030 and becoming net zero by 2040.
PepsiCo has been implementing new environmental efforts and targets, both broadly and through specific products within its portfolio, for years. PepsiCo has tested recyclable moulded-pulp rings on its soda cans to replace plastic ones and launched a compostable bag for its Off the Eaten Path brand.