Suntory PepsiCo Beverage has become the first carbonated soft drink company to launch 100% recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) (rPET) 550ml Pepsi bottles in Thailand in April 2023.
With this move, the company has kicked off the rPET packaging and bottle-to-bottle recycling movement in Thailand, as other multinational and domestic beverage companies are expected to follow suit. Circular economies are crucial for curbing the scourge of plastic pollution in Thailand, where PET bottles made up nearly 60% of soft drink packaging volume in 2022, according to GlobalData.
Suntory PepsiCo had to adopt easily recyclable PET bottle designs. It partnered with Envicco Limited, a plastics manufacturer, to ensure an adequate supply of certified high-quality rPET resin.
The company is also coordinating with retailers, municipal waste management agencies, rag pickers, curbside waste collectors, and consumers to collect every post-consumer disposed bottle. The demand for food-grade rPET in the region is expected to skyrocket in the coming years.
A key Account Director at GlobalData Singapore mentioned that Suntory PepsiCo has announced plans to print bottle labels with the tagline “Pepsi 100% Recycled” and running its “Appreciate Fiz: Dare to Change the World” campaign to generate public awareness about the new eco-friendly bottle format. The launch of the recycled bottles resonate with 41% of Thai consumers, who feel that recyclable packaging is a feature they actively look for when making a purchase.
Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health has allowed the use of rPET bottles to be reused safely as beverage packaging in accordance with safety standards set by FDA.
