Dear PepsiCo ANZ, this petition is a call for LEADERSHIP and ACTION.

It is encouraging to see the following statement published on your website as a goal for your corporation: ‘Fundamentally change the way consumers interact with our packaging to deliver our vision of a world where plastics need never become waste.’ And your long-term ambition to make all of your packaging 100% recyclable, compostable or biodegradable by 2025 is commendable.

But action, real action, is needed now, not in 2025.

On the 20th of November 2018 you officially partnered with RED Group to encourage your consumers to recycle their chip packets through the REDCycle soft plastic recycling scheme, a positive step towards your goal stated above, showing leadership in taking responsibility of your products and their impact to the environment.

And then the rug was pulled out from everyone when, on the 8th of November 2022, REDCycle announced their soft plastic collection was being temporarily paused. Recent reports suggest that a soft plastic solution MAY be available in select locations in the second half of 2023 with  a national program not rolling out until 2024. It should be noted that your packaging still carries the REDCycle recycling instructions which is disappointing.

But chip packets aren’t a waste and they can be recycled.

In 2018 the hashtag #PacketInWalkers began trending on social media, encouraging consumers to mail their empty chip packets back to Walkers. In that same year, Walkers listened and acted. They established a partnership with Terracycle UK and offered their customers a free recycling program. Within three months Terracycle UK had more than 8,500 collection points established. 

While I don’t want to encourage the idea of sending empty chip packets through Australia Post to your head office, I do believe it is time for you, as one of the leading snack companies in Australia, to step up and take responsibility for your current packaging choices now, not in 2025.

I propose you initiate a FREE recycling program through Terracycle Australia.

PepsoCo ANZ, will you listen to your customers?