This milestone includes both PET beverage bottles and liquid board packaging (LBP), driven by partnerships with brands such as Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Tiger Brands and Tetra Pak.
The data shows that Petco diverted enough packaging waste from landfills to fill 2 324 six-metre shipping containers – saving 76 000m3 of landfill space. According to CEO Telly Chauke, the standout achievement was a more than 200% increase in the collection and recycling of LBP, just two years into running an EPR scheme for this composite material.
‘In 2024 alone, we collected and recycled three times more LBP than in 2023 – a testament to the strength of our model and growing infrastructure,’ Telly stated. ‘Our experience, partnerships and boots-on-the-ground approach are yielding scalable, sustainable results.’
Petco’s EPR model – rooted in 20 years of industry expertise – has seen PET bottle and jar collection for recycling soar
from just 16% in 2005 to nearly 76% today. The organisation now aims to replicate this success for LBP, which comprises 75% paperboard and 25% poly aluminium that can be repurposed into innovative products such as school desks and building materials.
Critical to this success has been strategic investment. In 2024, Petco injected R70-million into the collection and recycling value chain. This support enabled its partners to purchase around R470-million worth of post-consumer materials from small businesses – putting real money in the hands of waste pickers and collectors. ‘SMMEs are the heartbeat of the value chain,’ Telly noted. ‘By supporting them with training, mentorship and equipment – often in partnership with municipalities – we unlock both environmental and economic value.’
Last year, Petco supported 47 SMMEs and trained more than 4 700 beneficiaries nationwide. The organisation also ran over 200 liquid board packaging recycling-focused activations at buy-back centres. A key 2024 initiative involved deploying a team of buy-back centre liaison and regional recycling officers with Tetra Pak. This team actively builds regional collection networks by connecting waste pickers, municipalities and the private sector to tackle local recycling challenges head-on.
Petco also worked closely with 59 municipalities, helping them roll out separation-at-source and improve waste management infrastructure. ‘Government collaboration is crucial,’ said Telly. ‘It strengthens our national impact and ensures producers can fulfil their responsibilities under EPR regulations.’
Telly stressed that while Petco is proud of its achievements in 2024, the focus remains firmly on long-term impact and momentum. ‘We’re committed to expanding our mandate while delivering on our current responsibilities – growing our national footprint, deepening our role in South Africa’s circular economy and ensuring that recyclable packaging stays out of landfills and the environment.’
