Promote green consumption with milk carton recycling program

Kim Truyen is one of Vinamilk's loyal customers, not only buying products, but also contributing boxes after use - Photo: Vinamilk

Kim Truyen (4th year student at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh City) has been pursuing a green lifestyle since high school. She often reuses milk cartons after drinking as plant pots, pen holders, etc. Recently, Truyen has a new option, which is to clean the cartons and bring them to Vinamilk stores to participate in the program " Beautiful cartons are reborn ".

Contribute milk cartons, receive green awareness

"Collecting and recycling helps prolong the life cycle of milk cartons, reducing negative impacts on the environment. In addition, they are also recycled into useful items to give to disadvantaged children. It is because of this meaning that I participated as soon as I learned about the program," Kim Truyen shared.

Not only Kim Truyen, Ms. Vo Ngoc Nhu Quynh (living in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City) also said that her two children were very excited to participate in the program "Pretty boxes are reborn". "Before, after each time drinking milk, the children just threw the boxes in the trash. Now, the children compete to wash and fold them to bring to the store to exchange for gifts. I hope the program will continue to be maintained for a long time, helping the children form the habit of protecting the green, clean and beautiful environment", she shared.

Not only because of the gifts when exchanging the shells, Ms. Nhu Quynh participates in the program because she wants to protect the environment and help her children form good habits - Photo: Vinamilk

According to the company representative, the "Pretty Cartons Reborn" program has been implemented at stores in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City since June 2024. To date, the company has collected more than 180,000 milk cartons from many brands, equivalent to nearly 1.5 tons - a result that far exceeded initial expectations.

Mr. Pham Hong Y, head of the Vinamilk store's sales department, expressed surprise at the enthusiasm of the group of children customers.

"Many primary and secondary school students came to the store with their parents to exchange milk cartons. Many students also encouraged their friends to collect and recycle them. I think that is also the success of the program when it spreads the awareness of collection and recycling to children - the future generation, and at the same time changes the consumption behavior of the whole family," said Mr. Hong Y.

Young generation leads green consumption trend

Currently, in Vietnam and many other countries, there is still a certain gap between environmental awareness and consumption actions. Many customers say they are interested in sustainable factors when consuming, but their decisions are still influenced by price or trend. Therefore, it takes a lot of effort from businesses to strongly spread the green consumption trend.

According to Ms. Luong Thanh Thu, Head of Sustainable Development at Tetra Pak Vietnam (a partner of Vinamilk in the program): The projects and programs that the company is implementing have created conditions for consumers to participate in the process of sorting and collecting, contributing to the construction of a circular economy. She emphasized that this is an important foundation in building awareness and infrastructure for waste collection and recycling.

Testing the installation of automatic product packaging sorting machines at stores - Photo: Vinamilk

Mr. Nguyen Quang Tri, Vinamilk's marketing executive director, said that sustainable consumption is a pillar in the company's development strategy, with the goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. The packaging recycling program is considered a concrete activity for this goal.

"The company also actively researches and develops sustainable products. The Vinamilk Green Farm product line is a typical example when using raw materials from ecological farms, combined with sustainable farming methods, using green and renewable energy to reduce emissions. The nut milk line is also popular with young people thanks to the production process that has little impact on the environment," said Mr. Tri.

Environmentally friendly recycled bags are being used at more than 650 Vinamilk stores nationwide - Photo: Vinamilk

In distribution, the company has cut down on plastic and switched to recycled packaging, not only in boxes and bags but also in cartons and packs. In 2023, the company reduced more than 450 tons of plastic thanks to measures such as removing the outer film of Probi packs and reducing the number of plastic scoops that come with yogurt boxes. The store system also uses recycled bags and encourages customers to use cloth bags, straw bags, etc.

Younger generations, especially Gen Z and Alpha, are showing a high level of environmental awareness. They tend to choose sustainable products and demand that manufacturers implement measures to reduce emissions. " Businesses need to grasp this trend if they want to conquer and retain the new generation of consumers ," Tri shared.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/thuc-day-tieu-dung-xanh-bang-chuong-trinh-tai-sinh-vo-hop-sua-20241008165611361.htm