Majid Al Futtaim, Nestlé, Sparklo partner to cut 200T of CO2 emissions via recycling push

UAE – Majid Al Futtaim, Nestlé UAE and Sparklo have partnered to expand AI-powered reverse vending machines at Carrefour stores, targeting recovery of more than 1.4 million plastic bottles and aluminium cans.

Nestlé UAE’s “Recycle to Break the Cycle” campaign will be brought to life through Sparklo’s AI-powered Reverse Vending Machines at selected Carrefour stores across the UAE. 

By integrating smart recycling solutions into places people already visit as part of daily routines, the initiative aims to make recycling simpler, more accessible and more rewarding while keeping valuable materials in circulation longer. 

Customers can earn points through the Sparklo app when they recycle, creating an added incentive to make recycling part of their regular routine.

Programme Builds on Carrefour RVM Success

The partnership builds on the Carrefour RVM programme, which first launched with Sparklo in July 2023. 

Since then, more than 22 million recyclable items have been collected and over 95,000 users engaged, demonstrating the potential for convenient, technology-enabled solutions to encourage sustainable behaviour at scale. 

The next phase is expected to recover more than 1.4 million containers through Nestlé UAE’s campaign, helping avoid approximately 200 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.

Initiative Supports UAE Circular Economy Policy

The initiative supports the UAE Circular Economy Policy 2031, which targets diverting 75 percent of waste from landfills by 2030. 

By making recycling infrastructure more accessible across Carrefour’s retail network, the three organisations are encouraging more responsible consumption and contributing to the country’s wider sustainability agenda.

Leadership Frames Collective Action as Critical

Ziad Chalhoub, chief financial officer at Majid Al Futtaim, said meaningful progress on sustainability came from embedding it into everyday choices of customers and communities.

He noted that the company’s scale gave it both an opportunity and a responsibility to make sustainable behaviours easier and more accessible, adding that partnerships like these were critical to driving lasting impact. 

Rachid Maalouli, managing director of Nestlé Coastal Arabia Cluster, said making sustainable choices should be simple and accessible for everyone, noting that the initiative integrated recycling into daily routines while supporting the UAE’s circular economy ambitions. 

Maxim Kaplevich, founder and chief executive of Sparklo, said making recycling convenient and accessible in places communities visit weekly was at the heart of the company’s mission.

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