Mars to expand its packaging waste initiative in Southeast Asia
The pet food manufacturer collected thousands of pet food packaging in Thailand in 2 years.
The program, allowing consumers to swap their empty bags of pet food for a discount on future purchases, was implemented in 2020 in Thailand in a bid to prevent packaging from becoming waste.
The company collected more than 665,000 bags nationwide in 2022, weighing a total of 7,262 kgs.
The processed plastic packaging has been turned into cat-shaped flooring tile blocks at a recycling factory. It will be used to pave the outdoor spaces of the Mars Petcare manufacturing plant in the eastern Thai province of Chonburi.
Environmental concern
According to a Mars survey, 6 out of 10 participants in the initiative claimed that the primary motivation for bringing back the packaging was their concern for the environment. The data revealed that 67% of participants always recycle their household waste.
The majority of respondents (82.8%) said they would participate in the campaign even if there was no discount.
Mars Thailand told GlobalPETS they would add new packaging collection centers at specialized veterinary clinics and selected shops in 2023.
Philippines and India
The success of this project has spilled into the Philippines. Under the ‘Fur The Best’ initiative, all plastic packaging of pet food products 1 kg and above will be recycled into benches and other useful items to be donated to pet shelters in the Metro Manila area.
By the end of April 2023, the pilot program for SWAP Recycling will be introduced across 4 major cities in India, after which it will be carried out across Mars Petcare stores in the country.