"Greenpeace USA criticized PepsiCo on May 22, 2025 for abandoning its pledge to deliver 20% of beverages in reusable containers by 2030. Lisa Ramsden, a senior oceans campaigner, called the reversal a step that will increase plastic pollution and human exposure to microplastics.
PepsiCo recently revamped its sustainability goals, removing reuse targets among other changes. Packaging Dive reported the company is accounting for ""external realities"" as it resets objectives across packaging and climate. Investor and advocacy groups responded that ditching reuse undermines progress on source reduction, which complements recycling but does not depend on it.
Campaigners emphasize that reuse systems can achieve large, near‑term waste reductions. Break Free From Plastic estimates that a 10% increase in reusable beverage packaging by 2030 could eliminate the need for more than a trillion single‑use bottles and cups and prevent as many as 153 billion of those containers from entering the world’s waterways. They urge PepsiCo to increase investments in refillable and returnable packaging rather than retreat from the target."