PepsiCo and UEFA Unveil a Series of Innovative Sustainable Food & Beverage Practices at the 2023 UEFA Champions League Finals

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May 22, 2023
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The ground-breaking collaboration supports the aim of producing the first zero-waste-to-landfill UEFA Finals by 2026.

Dubai, UAE, May 22, 2023

PepsiCo, in partnership with UEFA (Union of European Football Association), is finding innovative ways to achieve the goal of making UEFA Champions League Finals zero waste to landfill by 2026, through the power of its brands, Pepsi, Lay’s, Doritos and Gatorade. At the Women’s UCL Final at PSV Stadium in Eindhoven on June 3, and the UCL Final at Istanbul’s Atatürk Olympic Stadium on June 10, PepsiCo and UEFA are implementing circular economy practices centered around the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle), to minimize the impact of football on the environment and drive resource efficiencies.

Reduce

The fully recyclable, zero plastic and biodegradable fiber cups at the UCL Final will significantly reduce single-use plastic. Through Gatorade’s 5v5 global tournament, an annual five-a-side football competition for 14- to 16-year-old boys and girls, PepsiCo is also taking measures to implement carbon neutrality via recycling efforts, carbon offsets, and sustainable clothing.

Reuse

Thanks to PepsiCo’s reuse solutions, this year’s UEFA Women’s Champions League Final will be the first to implement returnable packaging for food and drinks. Fans can purchase drinks from 52,000 0.40L transparent cups, with a returnable deposit of 2 Euros. Along with cups, Doritos Nachos will be served in returnable trays throughout the stadium. Likewise, in Istanbul, PepsiCo is partnering with TURN, the world’s leading scalable reuse system that capitalizes on smart technology to rid the planet of single-use plastic, to house 48,000 TURN smart cups and bin operations at Champion’s Festival sampling stands.

Recycle

All PepsiCo food and beverage packaging supplied at events throughout the finals will be 100% recyclable. Additionally, Istanbul’s Atatürk Olympic Stadium will include 220 recycling bins for diligent waste sorting post-event.

“As one of the world’s most respected food and beverage companies, PepsiCo is continuously aiming to use its reach and influence to change the way society makes, uses and disposes of packaging,” said Archana Jagannathan, Chief Sustainability Officer Europe at PepsiCo. “We are honored to play a key role in both the men’s and women’s UEFA Champion’s League Finals. It is a privilege to use football as a vehicle to drive positive change on and off the pitch, whilst still providing fans with an unforgettable experience.”

“UEFA is delighted to continue the collaboration with PepsiCo to deploy circular economy practices across these two important Finals. Our actions are focused on finding and disseminating solutions applicable to football matches taking place across national associations, leagues and clubs in Europe to play our part in tackling environmental challenges,” said Michele Uva, UEFA Social and Environmental Sustainability Director.

Community Impact

Along with the circular economy efforts at the UEFA finals, PepsiCo is supporting community impact through Gatorade’s 5v5 global tournaments and Lay’s Replay, a global initiative created in partnership with the UEFA Foundation for Children, which brings joy to deserving communities by creating football pitches using empty crisp packets.

Gatorade 5v5, which first launched in 2015, has facilitated formative experiences for thousands of young amateur footballers, easing the barriers to entry and fueling play through grassroots programs. This year’s global 5v5 tournament final will take place ahead of the Women’s UCL Final in Eindhoven and the UCL Final in Istanbul.

PepsiCo is driving its latest Lay’s RePlay initiative in Turkey by unveiling a new pitch ahead of the finals. From the materials to the installation, the pitches are designed to minimize impact on the environment. For example, the turf and shock pad layers are 100% recyclable at the end of their life span. Beyond the pitch, Lay’s RePlay brings communities together through the shared love of football. Providing access to educational programming and sports training, Lay’s RePlay creates space for the power of play to address social issues and drive positive change for generations to come.

“Our partnership with UEFA and the work we are doing provides an incredible opportunity to elevate the conversation around recycling and create sustainable changes,” said Mark Kirkham SVP and Chief Marketing Officer, Global Beverages at PepsiCo. “We are excited about the future and look forward to a strong partnership with UEFA as they work towards the ultimate goal of having all UCL finals be zero waste to landfill by 2026.”

The UEFA partnership aligns with PepsiCo’s strategic end-to-end transformation PepsiCo Positive (pep+), which puts sustainability at the center of how PepsiCo creates value and growth for the planet and people.

PepsiCo has been a proud partner of the UEFA Champions League since 2015.