On January 15, Coca-Cola India and India’s largest retailer, Reliance Retail, announced the launch of a sustainability initiative titled “Bhool Na Jana, Plastic Bottle Lautana.” The initiative focuses on Post-consumer PET collection. The collections are being done via Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs) and collection bins at Reliance Retail stores.
The initiative was launched in the presence of Kazi Irfan, Officer on Special Duty (OSD), Solid Waste Management, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), at Reliance Retail’s Smart Bazaar store in Santa Cruz.
This pilot project, aligned with the Government’s Swachh Bharat Mission, has commenced the collection process in 36 stores of Reliance Retail including Smart Bazaar and Sahakari Bhandar stores in Mumbai and Delhi. The companies plan to expand to 200 stores across the country by 2025 with a target of collecting 5,00,000 PET bottles annually in the pilot phase.
Collect PET bottle to earn exciting discounts on coca-cola
As part of the initiative,the disposed PET bottles will be collected and recycled by Reliance Industries (RIL), a leader in the recycling of polyester and plastics. This initiative will facilitate smooth waste collection by engaging consumers in responsible waste management – transitioning away from a traditional linear economy.
“The installed RVMs and collection bins will give consumers a convenient way to deposit used PET bottles in exchange for compelling discounts on Coca-Cola India products,” the companies said in a media release.
Damodar Mall, Chief Executive Officer, Grocery Retail, Reliance Retail Ltd., highlighted the cultural trend of recycling in Indian households and said in a press release, “Indian households used to not throw away milk pouches, plastic bottles, or even newspapers every day. We clean and collect. They hand them over to raddiwalas (scrap dealers), who are the unique front-end army of recyclers in today’s world.”
He added, “SmartBazaar, as a modern retailer, continues to encourage this habit with modern methods. Our pilot with our store shoppers, with the support of Coca-Cola India and Reliance Industries, is one such attempt we plan to pursue with our wide network of stores.”
Greishma Singh, vice president, Customer and Commercial Leadership, Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia, said, “Through this partnership and platform, we are delighted that we can generate awareness and give shoppers a convenient and engaging way to recycle their PET bottles in return for compelling offers while they are shopping at Reliance stores. Partnerships such as this one built around consumer-centric ideas, we believe, can be a powerful multiplier for progress on collection, recycling, and reuse.”
Hemant D. Sharma, president, Growth and Strategy, Polyester, RIL, emphasized Reliance’s commitment to sustainability and circularity, stating, “Reliance stands as a trailblazer in sustainability and circularity, leading India’s charge in transforming waste into valuable resources.”
“Recycling 2 billion PET bottles annually, with a plan to scale it to 5 billion, RIL epitomizes a commitment to sustainability that predates current trends and sets the standard for eco-friendly manufacturing. For over two decades, RIL has championed recycling post-consumer PET bottles, demonstrating a foresighted dedication to a greener, circular future.” He added.
Move Towards Sustainability
One of India’s largest beverage companies, Coca-Cola India offers high-quality and refreshing beverage options to consumers.Coca-Cola’s service seeks to positively impact people’s lives, communities, and different types of sustainable initiatives.
As part of Coca-Cola’s world without waste strategy, this initiative aligns with its global commitment to collect and recycle 100 percent of packaging equivalents.
It builds on the success of Coca-Cola India’s ‘Return and Recycle’ initiative in collaboration with Zepto, engaging 50,000 households in India and installing RVMs in 75 cities, successfully collecting 1 ton of PET waste.
The collaborative effort with Reliance Retail aims to promote sustainability practices, encourage responsible waste management, and contribute to a cleaner environment.
