Unilever, Nestle, P&G and PepsiCo launch global recycling service

Unilever, Tesco, Nestle, Proctor & Gamble, PepsiCo and more companies are joining together with TerraCycle to launch Loop, a new global recycling service that will collect empty packaging from households.

A group of the world's largest consumer product firms have joined with recycling firm TerraCycle to launch a new global service that will allow household collection of empty or used product packaging for refilling, reuse, or recycling.

The new company called Loop will be the first to provide this service. The plastics will be collected, cleaned, refilled, and reused in a move to reduce single-use plastics.

Any packaging that cannot be reused will be recycled, Terracycle said on Thursday at the World Economic Forum in Davos where it was first announced.

Unilever also said today it would introduce new packaging in nine of its products that will be used in the trial of the new service.

Another partner in the project is UK’s Tesco which will launch the system later on this year.

TerraCycle CEO Tom Szaky was optimistic about the number of global companies that had "come together to create a new way to more responsibly consumer products".

"Loop will not just eliminate the idea of packaging waste, but greatly improve the product experience and the convenience in how we shop," he said.

"Through Loop, consumers can now responsibly consume products in specially-designed durable, reusable or fully recyclable packaging made from materials like alloys, glass and engineered plastics. When a consumer returns the packaging, it is refilled, or the content is reused or recycled through groundbreaking technology."

Laurent Freixe, Nestlé CEO in America, said the firm was "proud to be a founding investor and partner of Loop".

"Loop provides a much-needed innovation platform, challenging companies to take a fresh look at our value chains and integrate reusable product packaging as part of our efforts to waste-reduction," he said. "It's a critical part of our commitment to work with consumers to protect our planet for future generations."