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Flex Forward Offers Pet Food Industry Recycling Solutions for Flexible Packaging

A “Return to Retail” pilot for pet food flexible packaging had an unexpected benefit for store owners.

The Pet Sustainability Coalition(PSC), recently saw initial success with its Flex Forward pilot and is now entering a second phase.
The Pet Sustainability Coalition(PSC), recently saw initial success with its Flex Forward pilot and is now entering a second phase.

The Pet Sustainability Coalition (PSC), a US-based group with members that include more than 200 global companies throughout the pet industry supply chain, recently saw initial success with its Flex Forward pilot and is now entering a second phase.

What Is Flex Forward?

Flex Forward aims to create recycling and upcycled solutions for flexible packaging produced by the pet industry. In 2020, a regional pilot tested the collection, recyclability, and full-circle product potential to inform potential for an industry-wide expansion. The first phase of the project focused on 135 retailers to collect a minimum of 5,000 lbs. of used flexible multi-laminate pet food packaging—testing the “return to retail” collections model—with hopes of being able to recycle the packaging into functional products.

Participating retailers received collection vessels, associate training, digital content and incentives to facilitate and encourage pet owners to return to the store to recycle used packages, all at no cost.

An unexpected benefit of the return to retail program was an increase in store traffic, according to Melissa Bauer, Director of Sustainability at PSC.

In addition to the participating retailers and the PSC, other partners in the program include brand sponsor Earth Animal, Pet Food Experts Distribution, recyclers, and several U.S.-based manufacturers.


Read article   Read this story on pet food trends.
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