VGI and Pomelo Partner on “Trash to Treasure” Sustainability Initiative to Reduce Single-Use Packaging

VGI PLC, the leading Offline-to-Online (“O2O”) solutions provider across advertising, payment and logistic platforms, is collaborating with Pomelo Fashion Co., Ltd. (“Pomelo”), Southeast Asia’s leading omnichannel fashion platform, to promote environmental sustainability through its “Trash to Treasure” project.

Aiming to tackle the growing issue of plastic pollution, VGI strives to minimise waste generation with its new initiative. Recognising the environmental challenge posed by the use of vinyl in its advertising billboards, VGI has implemented an efficient and environmentally friendly solution to create value out of the waste produced by businesses. With the introduction of its new “Trash to Treasure” initiative, VGI is collaborating with Pomelo as part of a wider initiative to drive change and encourage sustainable practices.  

E-commerce is a rapidly growing sector, with the e-commerce market in Thailand projected to grow 35% by the end of 2020 to THB 220 billion*, with the COVID-19 pandemic driving a surge in online shopping. These factors combined have inevitably increased the consumption of single-use packaging, signifying the impact packaging can have on the retail experience of users, and demonstrating the importance of reducing the use of single-use packaging.

VGI and Pomelo are partnering to create a circular economy for vinyl and single-use packaging waste by upcycling vinyl from VGI’s used billboards and repurposing them for Pomelo’s packaging. The philosophy follows the circular way of designing and production, which minimises waste at all stages of the extraction-production-consumption cycle, unlike traditional recycling processes.  As a major omnichannel fashion retailer with a commitment to social and environmental responsibilities, Pomelo is determined to use its platforms to raise awareness, especially among the new generation of eco-conscious consumers, about the impact of single-use plastic consumption and promote packaging waste reduction.  The jointly produced packaging, which can be reused up to 1,000 times per piece, will be used for customers who shop across all Pomelo’s physical stores Tap.Try.Buy. shop online and try on in store concept.

Offering a viable path to reducing carbon emissions in our planet, this collaboration helps VGI slash its vinyl waste by 3,500 square meters or 3.5 tons; while Pomelo is able to cut back on more than 200,000 pieces of single-use packaging.

*Source: Priceza Co., Ltd. or Priceza, a price comparison shopping website, valued Thailand’s e-commerce market in 2019 at THB 163,300 million. However, with the rapid shift towards online trade driven by the coronavirus outbreak, Priceza projects Thai e-commerce retail sales to grow by 35% in 2020 to THB 220,000 million.