P&G pledges 230 million recycled bottles

Close to 230 million bottles will be made out of ‘Post Consumer Recyclate’ (PCR) recycled packaging in a new initiative by Procter & Gamble (P&G) Fabric Care.

Flagship brands such as Ariel, Dash, Lenor and Unstoppables will be packaged in bottles composed of up to 50 per cent PCR.

The FMCG giant said the 230 million bottles were equivalent to the distance from the North Pole to the South Pole if all of the bottles were laid end-to-end.

The first P&G Fabric Care bottles impacted by this announcement are expected to be on sale in retailers in the first half of 2016.

Through this initiative, the amount of incremental recycled material that P&G Fabric Care will use per year will increase by 3.8 kilotonnes.

P&G said it was committed to increasing the amount of recycled material in its packaging.

The company’s stated vision is to make 100 per cent of its products and packaging from renewable and recycled materials.

Gianni Ciserani, group president of global fabric and home care, said the company wanted to make it easier for consumers to choose sustainable brands.

“I’d like to continue this momentum in the future by partnering with organisations that can provide recycled materials globally,” he said.

“This will allow us to increase the amount of recycled plastic in more brands and geographies.”