Royal Canin has partnered with leading pet retailer, Animates, to launch New Zealand’s first recycling program for pet food packaging in a major retailer.
Across the country, 52 Animates stores and clinics have installed Royal Canin Recycling Stations to recycle all brands of pet food packaging, including Royal Canin and Eukanuba.
The majority of pet food packaging is made from a mix of soft plastics and metals that aren’t accepted in kerbside recycling. The retail launch adds to 145 vet clinic locations around New Zealand that currently have TerraCycle recycling hubs.
Since the program launched in 2021, more than 100,000 units of pet food packaging has been collected through Royal Canin’s recycling program in Australia and New Zealand.
With every kilogram of packaging recycled, $1 in TerraCycle points will be donated to charities including farming mental health charity Will to Live and Blind Low Vision New Zealand.
Royal Canin Sustainability Lead for ANZ Dean Richardson, said that the business is always striving to make a better world for pets, people, and the planet.
“Taking this a step further, we have committed to making Royal Canin a carbon neutral business by 2025.
“We couldn’t be prouder to partner with Animates to become the first major New Zealand pet retailer to join the Royal Canin Recycling Programme to make it even easier for pet owners to do their bit to help the environment and local charities.”
Nathalie Moolenschot, General Manager, Marketing for Animates, said it’s an honour to partner with Royal Canin to reduce pet packaging waste.
“We know our customers care deeply about the planet, so making it easier for them to return pet packaging through our stores is a cause we can get behind.”
To stay up to date on the latest industry headlines, sign up to the Pet Industry News e-newsletter.