Santé: Pernod Ricard pulls forward date for phase-out of single use point-of-sale plastics
Owner of Absolut Vodka and Jameson has delivered sustainable materials guidance to its 90 affiliates in order to ensure that single-use plastic is eliminated from point-of-sale items next year.
French drinks giant Pernod Ricard has moved forward a target to ban single-use plastic in point-of-sale items to 2021, four years ahead of the original schedule.
The Absolut Vodka, Jameson, and Jacob's Creek owner said on Friday that it is currently sharing point-of-sale guidance to its 90 affiliates that specify what materials can no longer be used and how they can be replaced ahead of the new deadline.
The new rules are a "huge step to drastically reduce the use of single-use plastic on a global scale", the company said, given that the new rules will apply to all markets, including those with waste challenges.
"For the past two years we have been striving to accelerate every aspect of our business, and the current crisis must not be a threat but rather an opportunity to speed up the implementation of our ‘Sustainability & Responsibility' roadmap," chief executive Alexandre Ricard said, referring to the company's 10-year sustainability stategy published last year.
Ricard added that "the end of single-use plastic POS items is one of the many ways we will do our share to bring positive change to the world we live in, and achieving this goal four years ahead of schedule underlines our employees' commitment to do so."
The newly fast-tracked goal will move the firm - which is a member of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's New Plastics Economy initiative - closer to its goal of achieving 100 per cent reusable, recyclable, or compostable point-of-sale items by the end of the decade.
Pernod has made circular principles central to its sustainability vision and has also committed to piloting five new circular innovations for distributing wine and spirits, while working to help increase recycling rates in its top 10 largest markets which have low recycling levels, including the US.
The firm's previous 2025 commitment to achieve 100 per cent recyclable, compostable, reusable or bio-based packaging remains unchanged.
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