Majid Al Futtaim has announced its partnership with Coca-Cola Middle East and Sparklo, a UAE-based cleantech company, to boost Carrefour recycling efforts under the Reverse Vending Machine (RVM) initiative.
This collaboration, driven by a shared commitment to building a community of eco-conscious customers and a focus on innovation, will see Coca-Cola co-operate RVMs in key Carrefour locations across the UAE, building on the programme’s proven success in promoting collection and recycling and contributing to the UAE’s ambitious sustainability agenda, according to a press communication.
Carrefour’s RVM initiative, powered by Sparklo’s innovative technology, was launched in July 2023, and since then it has empowered customers to actively support circularity by incentivising recycling.
Item recycling
Using the Sparklo app, users earn points for each item recycled and they can redeem the points for rewards from participating partners. Rewards include savings at Carrefour, discounted taxi rides, among others.
Based on the 2024 Sparklomats RVMs results, the partnership is projected to collect over 1.8 million plastic bottles and aluminium cans annually, with an average of over 1,000 containers per day, helping to contribute to CO₂ emissions reduction.
“By leveraging advanced technologies, we are transforming our retail spaces to serve greater purpose; empowering customers to actively participate in building a circular economy,” commented Jean-Luc Graziato, Chief Operating Officer, Majid Al Futtaim-Retail.
Improving waste collection
“At Coca-Cola, this initiative is part of our broader efforts to improve waste collection and strengthen local recycling infrastructure, helping to build a circular economy where packaging is collected, recycled, and reused,” remarked Andrew Buckingham, Vice President and General Manager, The Coca-Cola Company Middle East.
“Together, we’re building the infrastructure to collect every bottle in the UAE and show what real progress on sustainability can look like,” added Maxim Kaplevich, Founder and CEO, Sparklo.
