During the Walmart Sustainability Milestone Summit, eight global brands representing over $72 billion in revenue announced that they will be joining the How2Recycle label program. The program seeks to educate consumers about how to recycle packaging correctly.
Over 60 brands representing $295 billion in sales revenue in North America currently participate in the program and the labels can be found on thousands of products. The latest companies to join are Campbell Soup Company, Church & Dwight, Henkel, Ocean Spray Cranberries, Nestlé Waters North America, PepsiCo, RB and Unilever.
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How2Recycle is currently the only US-based standardized labeling system that communicates recyclability information on package to consumers. It is featured on a wide variety of products and packaging types, such as beverages, toys, baby products, baking supplies, condiments, pet care products, etc. Each label shows consumers how to recycle each component of a packaging and how materials need to be prepped for recycling, such as replacing caps on plastic bottles.
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Walmart, who has been an outspoken advocate for sustainable packaging, began incorporating the How2Recycle label into its brand-owned product packaging in 2016 and has encouraged brands that sell at its stores to follow suit. The move has had an industry-wide impact, inspiring other industry heavy-hitters to do the same.
“Recovering plastic bottles that deliver beverages to consumers is one of our highest priorities because failing to do so means plastic ends up in landfills, natural areas and our oceans. This is not acceptable and we are committed to doing our part to solve the problem,” said Nelson Switzer, Chief Sustainability Officer at Nestlé Waters North America.
“We have identified one of the most important levers that can be pulled to increase recovery — teaching people how to recycle. That’s why we are so inspired by and proud of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition for developing How2Recycle and why we joined this movement. How2Recycle empowers us to empower others to recycle plastic bottles. We … challenge all those who produce packaged products to leverage the tools How2Recycle has developed to help keep our lands, waters and oceans clean, clear and healthy.”
The new members will roll out the labels on their products in stores across North America. PepsiCo expressed continued support of the program, which is already in use on a range of its products.
“We are excited to join the How2Recycle program. This is an important education initiative to help make packaging recycling easier for consumers,” said Jonathan Atwood, VP of Sustainable Business and Communications at Unilever North America.
“Campbell is committed to doing our part to help increase packaging recycling and the How2Recycle label provides a simplified solution to help close the packaging loop,” said Dave Stangis, VP Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability at Campbell Soup Company.
“Campbell’s Plum brand has been using the label for several years and now Campbell has joined as an enterprise to support the efforts of How2Recycle as another step along our sustainability and transparency journey.”
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Published May 5, 2017 2pm EDT / 11am PDT / 7pm BST / 8pm CEST