Dubai, United Arab Emirates – PepsiCo has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), pledging its support to ‘Dubai Can’ – an initiative spearheaded by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, aimed at encouraging a culture of refill and reuse.

As part of the agreement, PepsiCo will provide 50 innovative Aquafina Water Stations to be installed in locations across the city, starting with government offices and corporate entities in Dubai. Furthermore, PepsiCo and DET will work together on multiple activations to empower and encourage consumers and businesses to refill, reuse and ultimately adopt more sustainable habits. There will also be community efforts in the coming months to enable the culture of refill and reuse and make it more accessible to people in all areas. The pioneering Expo 2020 Dubai platform piloted the innovation and has already helped save over 390,000 plastic bottles and enabled consumers to customize their drink of choice, while on the go.

HE Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), commented: “This innovative initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, is an important step in our strategy to make Dubai one of the most sustainable cities in the world. An essential aspect for ensuring the success of Dubai Can is the strength of Dubai’s public-private partnerships, we welcome the dynamism of PepsiCo and their substantial support to help achieve the city’s sustainability goals. We are working together with sponsors and stakeholders to collectively encourage everyone to join this new citywide environmental movement so they can make a positive change and contribute towards a more sustainable future.”

Through PepsiCo Positive (pep+), PepsiCo’s end-to-end transformation strategy which puts sustainability at the center of future growth, the company is charting a new course to drive positive action for the people and planet. The expansion of the Aquafina Water Station across Dubai brings this vision to life and contributes to PepsiCo’s drive to reduce, reuse, and reinvent packaging by advancing sustainable infrastructure in the city.

“Dubai Can is a truly meaningful initiative, encouraging a culture of conscious and sustainable choices. This vision is perfectly aligned with PepsiCo’s guiding ambition, demonstrated through innovations such as the Aquafina Water Station which inspires people to make choice that create more smile for them while building a better planet. We are proud to play a part in helping the UAE cement its position as a sustainability champion in the region and beyond,” said Aamer Sheikh, CEO – PepsiCo, Middle East.

PepsiCo is working to transform the way in how F&B is consumed and purchased, harnessing the latest trends and lifestyle shifts to develop products and experiences that reflects what consumers want. The Aquafina Water Station is a glowing example of how innovation can thrive, while keeping sustainability at the heart of the business. It delivers an elevated experience by offering consumers a variety of choices including nano-filtered still and sparkling water; unflavored and flavored water like strawberry, lime, peach & raspberry lime; no sugar and no artificial sweeteners; with custom carbonation level, temperature, and flavor intensity.

Globally, PepsiCo’s aim is to cut virgin plastic per serving by 50% across its food and beverage portfolio by 2030 - primarily by using 50% recycled content in its plastic packaging and driving business models that avoid or minimize single-use plastic, like the Aquafina Water Station.

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About PepsiCo

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $79 billion in net revenue in 2021, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay’s, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew and Quaker. PepsiCo’s product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with PepsiCo Positive (pep+). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability at the center of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for planet and people. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.