Minere 'Crush On You' Phenomenon Inspires Thais to Adopt 'Plastic Circularity'

Minere natural mineral water under Nestle (Thai) Ltd.'s Water Business Unit, building on last year's success with the launch of the Minere Eco-Friendly rPET bottle that reinforces the "BOTTLE MADE FROM BOTTLES" concept, is taking another step forward this year by engaging consumers to embrace plastic circularity with the launch of the 'Crush On You' campaign. This sustainability initiative will instill a shift in behavior by encouraging consumers to crush PET bottles before throwing them in recycling bins, reducing the bottle size, increasing bin capacity, and thereby increasing the number of used PET bottles entering the recycling loop. This initiative aligns with Nestle's global sustainability ambition to reduce virgin plastic use by one-third by 2025, and reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Mr. Victor Seah, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Nestle Indochina, said, "Driven by our purpose to unlock the power of food to enhance quality of life for everyone, today and for generations to come, Nestle is committed to delivering on our promise of 'Good for You' by offering tastier and healthier products and 'Good for the Planet.' 2023 was a significant year as Minere reached a new milestone with the launch of the 'rPET bottle,' reflecting Nestle's global ambition to reduce virgin plastic use by one-third by 2025 and achieve net zero goal by 2050. We also know that sustainable packaging alone is not enough, so this year, we are taking another bold step by engaging consumers to embrace circularity for plastic with the launch of our 'Crush on You' campaign. So, let's join Minere in sending 'Crush on You' messages to your loved ones with Minere and to our world by simply making a small gesture of 'crushing used bottles' before throwing them in recycling bins."

Ms. Naritta Vipulyasekha, Business Executive Officer - Water Business Unit, Nestle (Thai) Co. Ltd., said, "Minere remains the only brand in Thailand that offers clean and safe natural mineral drinking water in sturdy Eco-Friendly rPET bottles. Although these bottles were introduced to the Thai market less than a year ago, we have successfully created awareness and a positive attitude among consumers towards rPET use. Every time consumers choose Minere, they can directly contribute to reducing virgin plastic usage by 50%."

Creating a New Dimension for Sustainability Campaigns During Love Fest with the 'Crush On You' Phenomenon

While the collection rate of PET bottles for recycling in Thailand is currently over 80%, improper disposal persists. Minere sees an opportunity to drive consumer engagement in changing their behaviors by encouraging the crushing of PET bottles before throwing them in recycling bins to increase bin capacity and the number of used PET bottles entering the recycling loop with the "Crush On You" campaign.

"A simple crushing gesture from consumers can create a big impact. Crushing bottles before throwing them in the recycling bin increases bin capacity by five times, enhancing efficiency in waste management and transportation for recycling into new plastic bottles indefinitely. We plan to reduce the use of virgin plastic by utilizing over 6,000 tons of recycled plastic in 2024, equivalent to the mass of approximately 35,000 whales. This will help to reduce 4,800 tons of carbon (CO2e), equivalent to planting 800,000 trees. This initiative not only optimizes resource utilization but also promotes circular economy and minimizes environmental impacts and bringing back clean air for all," added Ms. Naritta.

In this campaign, Minere is introducing the First AR Filter activity, inviting consumers to create heartfelt loving messages by crushing PET Bottles and then sharing them for the first time in Thailand via 230 billboard screens in Bangkok. There will also be Special Limited-Edition Minere PET bottles featuring loving quotes, so that consumers can send their wishes to one another as well as to our planet.

Additionally, Minere has scaled up its partnership for the 'BOTTLE MADE FROM BOTTLES' initiative in its second year, in collaboration with 7-Eleven and GC YOUTURN, the leading plastic waste management platform. This activity applies the Circular Economy principle into practice and expands it to the societal sector. For added convenience, plastic bottle collection bins have been placed at 100 participating 7-Eleven stores throughout Bangkok, starting today until the end of 2024. The activity aims to collect used PET bottles for recycling into rPET bottles, while providing consumers with the opportunity to protect the world by jointly creating value for plastic waste to be useful again.

Today, Minere invites all Thais to join the 'Crush On You' phenomenon by creating a new sound of love for our planet by crushing used PET bottles together in the heart of Siam Square. The campaign aims to engage people to crush one million PET bottles before throwing them in recycling bins this year. The launch event also features a chic photo corner and a Plastic Funtastic special workshop from GC that upcycles bottle lids into eco-friendly keychains and makes DIY bracelets from recycled materials. Yaya-Urassaya Sperbund, Minere's presenter, is leading the team which includes Zee-Pruk Panich, NuNew-Chawarin Perdpiriyawong, Eye-Kamolned Ruengsri, and Frung- Narikun Ketprapakorn to inspire people to perform the crushing gesture together.

Minere is the first brand in the Thai drinking water market to use Eco-Friendly rPET Bottles made from recycled plastic. It has been certified by Thailand's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for meeting quality, safety, and cleanliness standards and has also been certified to plastic resin standards by the FDA in the United States.