Counting Down the Top 10 articles of 2020 - #7: PepsiCo Accelerates Plastic Waste Reduction Efforts

Based on online clicks and unique page views, we are counting down the Top 10 articles of 2020. Join us as we look back at the best of 2020. Anne Marie Mohan's' report on PepsiCo's plastic waste reduction initiatives, came in at #7.

Dec 25th, 2020

Roberta Barbieri, Vice President Global Sustainability, PepsiCo

Roberta Barbieri, Vice President Global Sustainability, PepsiCo

Anne Marie Mohan reported in January 2020 on the strategies the company is using to reach its ambitious new sustainable packaging goals, at least according to Roberta Barbieri, Vice President Global Sustainability, PepsiCo.

In late 2019, PepsiCo set a new target for 2025 to reduce the use of virgin plastics for its beverage brands by 35% through the increased adoption of recycled content and alternative packaging. Here, Roberta Barbieri, Vice President Global Sustainability, PepsiCo, elaborates on the strategies the company is using to reach its ambitious sustainable packaging goals.

Packaging World:

Why did PepsiCo feel the need to up the ante with its announcement of a goal of reducing the use of virgin plastics across its beverage portfolio by 35% by 2025?

Roberta Barbieri: We share concern over the growing threat that plastic packaging waste poses, and we recognize the significant role we can, and must, play in working to change the way society makes, uses, and disposes of plastics. Last fall we announced a new...

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Kengos shoes’ most visually striking design element stems from the whip-stitching that mechanically attaches the sole to the upper without adhesive. That design element is reinforced in the packaging design, which is also entirely mechanical.

D2C SIOC Shoes Make Sustainable Statement

Micah Heftman hadn’t heard the acronym SIOC (ships in own container) when he designed a shoebox for his footwear. He just wanted to avoid a ‘box within a box’ experience. Only when he heard about SIOC did he realize there was a name for his pack design.

(l. to r.) Danielle Jezienicki, Senior Director of Sustainability for Grove Collaborative, and Emily Tipaldo, Executive Director of the U.S. Plastics Pact

Live from Circularity 22: Grove Collaborative Continues to Push ‘Beyond Plastic’

Danielle Jezienicki, Senior Director of Sustainability for Grove, shares how the company’s ambition to be plastic-free is the first step toward a circular economy.

A two-side printed paperboard carton cake box delights Taartenwinkel customers upon opening.

Dutch Bakery’s E-Comm Pack Keeps Cakes Cool

E-commerce is hard enough for durable, shelf-stable products. It's even trickier for cakes, etc., that need to maintain a temperature of less than 7°C (45°F) while out for delivery. Here's how a popular Dutch bakery and e-tailer sustainably made it work.

Paperseal Range V2

Graphic Packaging’s Award-winning Hybrid Packaging Delivers on Sustainability

Since its launch in 2020, the PaperSeal® range of trays from Graphic Packaging International has proven it can satisfy the growing imperative for packaging to have greater circularity and be more sustainable.

Ecolean Ecovadis Everyday Champion 2022

Ecolean Rated in Top 1% in Sustainability by EcoVadis

For the second year in a row, Ecolean was awarded the Platinum EcoVadis medal, placing the company’s sustainability work in the top 1% of assessed companies globally in 2022.

Heinz and Pulpex are developing a prototype to test how the patented packaging technology could be used for the Heinz Tomato Ketchup bottle and other packaging formats .

Kraft Heinz Explores Potential of Paper-Based Ketchup Bottle

The company aims to become the first brand to use Pulpex’s patented recyclable, paper-based bottle technology for a sauce product.

Bill Nye the Science Guy and Coca-Cola Teach Recycling in Fun, Accessible Video Short

Coca-Cola and Bill Nye (the Science Guy) team up to create a stop-motion video that aims to demystify recycling. In a unique twist, the actual materials used to model Nye and the set in the stop-motion animation are recycled or recyclable.

Over the past two years, at least 20 bills in 10 states plus two federal bills related to recycled content have been introduced.

AMERIPEN: ‘New Recycled Content Mandates Doomed To Fail’

An examination of legislation meant to boost demand for PCR reveals lawmakers are not considering the full implications of these requirements and the other industries that compete for demand.

Long-term growth strategist Brad Meridith, director of customer service management, offers CPGs one point of contact for innovative packaging solutions at GreenSeed Contract Packaging.

GreenSeed Contract Packaging Names Brad Meridith Director, Customer Service Management

Long-term growth strategist Brad Meridith, director of customer service management, offers CPGs one point of contact for innovative packaging solutions at GreenSeed Contract Packaging.

Atlantic Packaging Leads Sustainable Packaging Coalition, A New Earth Project

The initiative, which includes an online catalog of sustainable packaging, connects the surf and outdoor community with the global supply chain to create solutions for a healthy planet.

Sustainable Packaging TODAY: Food and Beverage Trends

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Error Detection Automation Simplified: Introducing the In-Sight 2800

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See how easily the Cognex In-Sight 2800 can automate error detection. Powered by deep learning, it can solve a wide range of inspection applications quickly and easily — no programming experience required.

Lanjarón Natural Mineral Water 'Naked' Bottle

Recycling Drives Packaging Innovations

See a few examples of recyclable packaging innovations from ThePackHub’s April Packaging Innovation Briefing Report.

From left, Stephanie Neil, OEM; Tony Vandenoever, Pepsi; Tom Heaslip, Colgate-Palmolive (retired); and Herb Dutra, ACH.

LIVE from the ELC: CPGs Lean on OEMs to Help Navigate Sustainability, Workforce

A panel of packaging pros from Pepsi, Colgate, and ACH were asked how they’re tackling today’s challenges. Topping the list was earlier and more robust OEM participation, both in new sustainability projects and in selecting automation to replace labor.

Monomaterial Pouches from P&G’s Pantene Japan Refill Durable Aluminum Bottle

In another entry into the refillable packaging systems category, P&G’s Pantene Japan asks consumers to refill aluminum bottles with product packaged in a PE/PE flexible pouch.

IMA Group Launches OPENLab

On April 22, in honor of Earth Day, IMA officially launched OPENLab: its network of cutting-edge technological laboratories and testing areas, dedicated to the research of sustainable materials, technologies, and production optimization processes.

Coca-Cola has produced 900 prototype bottles made from 100% plant-based content.

Coca-Cola, Suntory Cross the 100% Plant-Based Bottle Finish Line

After more than a decade of rigorous R&D work and significant investments with their respective partners, Coca-Cola and Suntory each unveil first-of-their-kind beverage bottle prototypes made from 100% bio-based PET, ready for commercial scale-up.

Eco Friendly Questions

Sustainable Packaging TODAY: Answers to Industry's Most Common Eco-Friendly Questions

Greenwashing, chemical recycling, and how to pick most sustainable packaging material for your product—all explained by U.K. sustainable packaging expert Paul Jenkins of the PackHub and Packaging World’s Matt Reynolds.

Sustainability initiatives in life sciences packaging: cutting carbon from supply chains, reducing waste, and more.

9 Sustainability Initiatives in Healthcare Packaging: Earth Day 2022

While there are numerous important cross-industry initiatives, this year we’re taking “official Earth Day 2022” to highlight the rise in partnerships targeting sustainability specifically in life sciences and healthcare.

Plant-Based Cheeses Improve Formulation and Packaging to Stand Out on Shelves

GOOD PLANeT Foods rebranded its entire line of plant-based cheeses ahead of a large growth projection in 2022

More in Sustainability

Aveda’s Recyclable Paper Sample Packet Replaces Multilayer Foil Sachets

Sampling is a big category for The Estée Lauder Companies. Aveda and its supplier partners found a way to sample product more sustainably, using curbside recycle-ready (or -certified, depending on locale) paper packets to replace multilayer foil sachets.

Applying pressure to the Packlock blister card and creating the rectangular prism is required to open up a space between the backing of the card, allowing the user to push a pill into the space and have the pill drop down.

Johnson & Johnson Chief Medical Officer Highlights Unit Dose Packaging’s Role in Preventing Accidental Ingestion

Dr. Ed Kuffner: “Every day in the U.S., we have about 150 children—about four busloads of kids—coming into emergency departments because of accidental unsupervised ingestions… Packaging innovations can reduce these risks.”

Walmart to Connect Suppliers with Brands for Sustainable Packaging Innovation

Walmart’s new Circular Connector platform allows suppliers to submit their sustainable packaging innovations for review and potential online publication for brands to consider.

Brita Premium Purified Water for retail is packaged in an aluminum bottle with a paperboard carrier for its multipacks.

Co-packer Deploys Packaging Innovations for Brita Premium Purified Water

B Water & Beverages works with Brita to design sustainable packaging for its first retail bottled water product that includes a sturdy, striking, refillable, recyclable aluminum bottle and a plastic-free paperboard carrier that is also fully recyclable.

Tubes Answer the Call for More Sustainable Packaging Options

Packaging World’s Jim Chrzan and Packaging Digest’s Lisa McTigue Pierce met with Tube Council members to chart green milestones for paper tubes, mono-layer plastics, sugar cane, and recycled aluminum.

Materially Changed: It's All About the Bottle

See examples of paper and pulp bottles, 100% PCR aluminum Bottles, and wine in aluminum bottles, from ThePackHub’s April Packaging Innovation Briefing Report.

In March, Colgate-Palmolive launched its new Palmolive Shake & Clean Dish Soap product, which features a packaging system made up of a reusable bottle paired with a flexible pouch refill.

Colgate-Palmolive and Walmart Shake Up the Dish Soap Category

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UN Adopts Mandate for Global Plastics Treaty

The UN Environmental Assembly adopts a resolution aimed at ending plastic pollution through an international, legally binding agreement targeted at 2024.

Matt Reynolds, Chief Editor, Packaging World

Clearing Out the Notebook

After two years of all-virtual conferences and exceedingly rare travel, it seems (to me at least) like the dam has broken almost overnight.

Aptar closure using UPR resin

Aptar, PureCycle Achieve Testing Milestone with Ultra-Pure Recycled Plastic

AptarGroup announced its progress in testing and transforming PureCycle Technologies’ Ultra-Pure recycled (UPR) plastic.

Sustainable Packaging TODAY: Personal Care

Looking for sustainable personal care packaging available today? U.K. sustainable packaging expert Paul Jenkins of the PackHub and Packaging World’s Matt Reynold discuss real-world applications you can find on the shelf.

One of the latest brands to embrace advanced recycling is Mars Petcare, which is launching a new pouch for its Sheba wet cat food that incorporates, on average, 30% recycled polypropylene from advanced recycling technology.

Mars Petcare Retort Pouches use Certified Circular PP

For its Sheba brand wet cat food pouch, Mars Petcare uses polypropylene produced through advanced recycling; the film is both food-safe and retortable.