Recycling milk cartons – Vinamilk encourages Gen Z, Alpha to act for the environment
Turning used milk cartons into recycled paper or composite panels to make many useful items for children. This is how Vinamilk's "Pretty Cartons Reborn" program attracts the attention and participation of consumers, especially young people.
Contribute milk cartons, receive green awareness
Pursuing a green lifestyle since high school, Kim Truyen - a fourth-year student at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (HCMC) - often thinks of ideas to reuse milk cartons after drinking such as making flower pots, pen holders, etc. but still has a lot of leftover cartons. Recently, she has a new solution: cleaning the cartons and bringing them to Vinamilk stores to participate in the program "Beautiful shell is reborn”.
“Collecting and recycling will help prolong the life cycle of milk cartons, limiting the impact on the environment. With Vinamilk’s program, cartons are also recycled into useful items to give to disadvantaged children. Because of this meaning, I was motivated to participate as soon as I learned about the program,” she excitedly said.
Kim Truyen’s interest in recycling packaging after use can be seen as a representative of the new consumer trend that her generation is leading. Deloitte’s 2023 survey shows that up to 69% of Gen Z are willing to change their behavior to reduce their carbon footprint. And that trend is gradually spreading to the next generation – Gen Alpha.
Ms. Vo Ngoc Nhu Quynh (District 7, Ho Chi Minh City) said that her two primary school-age children are also very excited about Vinamilk's collection and recycling program. "Before, every time they finished drinking milk, my children just threw the cartons in the trash as usual. But now, the children compete to wash the cartons, fold them neatly to bring to the store and exchange them for gifts. I hope the program will last long, to help children form good habits, protect the environment greener, cleaner, and more beautiful," she said.
According to statistics from Vinamilk, the program "Pretty boxes are reborn" has been implemented at stores in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City since June 2024. To date, the program has collected more than 180,000 milk cartons of various brands, estimated at nearly 1.5 tons. These are numbers that completely exceed initial expectations.
Mr. Pham Hong Y - Head of Vinamilk Store Sales Department - said he was quite surprised to receive enthusiastic participation from the group of children. "Many customers are primary or secondary school students who come with their parents to exchange cartons. Many children also encourage their classmates to collect milk cartons for recycling. I think that is also the success of the program, when spreading the awareness of collection and recycling to children, the future generation and also helping to change the consumer behavior of parents and people around them", Mr. Hong Y shared more.
Young generation leads the trend of “green” consumption
In fact, not only in Vietnam but also in most 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, more efforts are needed, especially from businesses, to spread the green consumption trend more strongly.
“Specific programs and projects like Vinamilk’s have created conditions for consumers to participate in the story of sorting and collecting, contributing to creating a circular economy. This is an important foundation in building awareness as well as appropriate infrastructure, so that sorting, collecting and recycling waste becomes a normal habit of Vietnamese consumers,” said Ms. Luong Thanh Thu - Head of Sustainable Development Department of Tetra Pak Vietnam, a partner of Vinamilk in the program.
From the perspective of a leading fast-moving consumer goods company in Vietnam, Mr. Nguyen Quang Tri - Executive Director of Marketing of Vinamilk - said that sustainable consumption is one of the important pillars in Vinamilk's development strategy, aiming to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
This can recycling program is a concrete activity to promote sustainable consumption. Along with that, the company also continuously researches, develops and brings to market more sustainable and environmentally friendly products.
A typical example is Vinamilk Green Farm - a product line that uses fresh milk from ecological farms, practices sustainable agriculture and uses green energy and renewable energy to reduce emissions. Or Vinamilk's nut milk product line is also loved by young people and those pursuing a green lifestyle, thanks to the production process that has little impact on the environment.
In the distribution stage, Vinamilk focuses on reducing plastic as well as switching to recyclable packaging, not only in retail units such as boxes, jars, bags but also in distribution units such as crates, cartons, etc. In 2023 alone, more than 450 tons of plastic were reduced thanks to the solution of removing the outer film layer of Probi cartons and reducing the number of plastic spoons included in yogurt cartons. Vinamilk stores nationwide have also used environmentally friendly recycled bags and have been encouraging users to use cloth and straw bags for many years.
“Today’s Vietnamese consumers, especially the new generation such as Gen Z and Alpha, are highly conscious of protecting the environment. They tend to use sustainable, environmentally friendly products and require manufacturers to take action to reduce emissions. By understanding and meeting this need, businesses can conquer and retain them for a long time,” said Mr. Tri./.
