Our Head & Shoulders brand kicked off 2018 with a new collaboration with an industry partner.
At the German Sustainability Congress in December 2017, P&G proudly announced a partnership with REWE Group to launch the first Head & Shoulders recyclable shampoo bottle with 20% beach plastic in Germany.
The most prestigious event of its kind in Europe, the German Sustainability Congress focuses on topics such as digitization, water, climate protection, ethics and finance in the context of sustainability.
In 2016, P&G received the German Sustainability Award in Resource Efficiency, which recognizes companies that exemplarily combine economic success with social responsibility and the protection of the environment. The partnership with REWE will ensure we continue full speed ahead in this effort.
REWE Group is a German retail and tourism co-operative group consisting of a network of owned and independent retailers. They are the second largest supermarket chain in Germany with a strong focus on sustainability. (For example, REWE was the first supermarket to abolish plastic bags from their stores. All others followed.)
In her keynote at the the German Sustainability Congress, P&G's Global Sustainability VP Virginie Helias (pictured below) spoke about "One Decade of Sustainability” and how P&G drives responsible consumption through innovation and partnerships. One great example Virginie shared was the Head & Shoulders recyclable shampoo bottle—the first to be made with 20% beach plastic.*
“I believe we play an important role in the use of resources, and we continuously develop new technologies that take us a step further on our road to a more sustainable future. That’s what I’m thrilled to announce that following France, we are partnering with REWE to launch the first recyclable shampoo bottle made with 20% beach plastic in Germany – a landmark initiative embracing the concept of responsible consumption!” She believes that increasing the use of recycled plastics will make it easier for our consumers to choose more sustainable products, without any trade-offs.
During a forum "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: the Role of Plastic in the 21st Century," a panel of experts discussed the use of plastic in a circular economy. To further waste prevention, the key is to find out how plastic waste can be converted into a valuable secondary raw material.
Again, the Head & Shoulders bottle with beach plastic* inspired great conversations. Tom Szaky, Founder and CEO of TerraCycle, spoke about the challenges that come with collecting beach plastic. Dr. Christoph Hoffmann of the Alpla plants explained the technology to process the H&S bottle with beach plastic,* and Dr. Katharina Marquardt, Scientific Communications at P&G, provided insight into decision-making from a corporate perspective.
