San Diego-based Petco Health and Wellness Co. Inc. day announced a commitment to increasing its assortment of sustainable products to 50% by the end of 2025.
"Improving the lives of pets and people means improving our impact on the planet too," said Ron Coughlin, Petco's chairman and CEO. "We know pet parents find it important for companies they do business with to carry more sustainable products and options. With this ambitious commitment as our first step, we embark on a journey aimed at not just meeting that expectation, but also raising the bar even higher."
According to a company statement, half of Petco's assortment of pet products will align with at least one of five sustainability pillars:
- responsible manufacturing: brands and products that use responsible manufacturing practices during production;
- sustainably sourced materials: products made with materials like organic cotton or recycled nylon;
- sustainably sourced ingredients: food and treats made with ingredients that are more environmentally friendly or emit fewer greenhouse gases;
- responsible packaging: designed to be refilled with the same type of product or for multiple uses; and
- animal welfare: ensure animals are treated humanely and products meet Petco's cruelty-free standard.
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To help shoppers identify and shop for more sustainable pet products, Petco has opened a sustainable shopping destination and is now featuring in-aisle signage at the majority of its stores.
As part of the company's efforts to reduce waste and increase sustainability last year, it estimates it is using 92% less plastic and 23% less cardboard in packaging by fulfilling online orders, "which we estimate eliminated 3.6 million pounds of carboard waste and 30,000 pounds of plastic waste in 2020 alone."
The company also says it has upcycled 1.5 million plastic bottles into pet accessories with its "Started as a Bottle" program and eliminated 3.2 million pieces of packaging waste across its branded products.
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Petco pledged to continue accelerating current environmental sustainability initiatives across merchandising, packaging, logistics and service delivery, among other areas, and identifying opportunities for lowering its carbon footprint, increasing energy efficiency and reducing waste. To that end, Petco will release its first environmental, social, and corporate governance report next month.
