• The first large-scale pilot project in Europe dedicated to the collection of beverage and dairy carton packaging, launched by Tetra Pak and Mega Image together with partners Maspex, TOMRA and Brai Cata, has exceeded the threshold of one million packaging collected in Romania, in less than 8 months. Following the excellent results obtained and the very good response from consumers, the collection period will be extended by another three months in Bucharest and Ilfov, until October 23, 2026.
In less than eight months (November 21, 2025 – July 14, 2026), Romanians returned over one million cardboard beverage and dairy packaging through the 16 collection machines (RVMs) located in 15 Mega Image stores in Bucharest, Ilfov and Brașov. The amount collected exceeds 35 tons, the equivalent of approximately three trucks loaded with material intended for recycling. Placed in a straight line, the packaging would form a column of over 206 kilometers, as long as 2000 football fields placed end to end or enough to cover the road between Bucharest and Brașov, the two main cities where the pilot project is taking place.
The results obtained so far confirm the growing interest in collecting this type of packaging. Practically, every day, Romanians returned, on average, over 4.300 packages, in just 15 collection points, and with each use of an RVM, an average of 10 packages were returned – a sign that more and more consumers are choosing to collect them at home and return them in larger numbers, transforming separate collection into a responsible consumption habit.
Almost 73% of the total packaging was collected in Bucharest and Ilfov, and 27% in Brașov. At the same time, after the expansion and reconfiguration of the collection network in April, the average monthly volume of packaging collected increased almost fourfold, from approximately 54.000 to over 205.000 packages per month. Over 615.000 packages were collected in the last three full months, representing almost 60% of the one million goal announced at the launch of the project.
"The pilot project < >, offers us the opportunity to test, for the first time on such a scale in Europe, an alternative model for collecting cardboard packaging for beverages and dairy products. From the beginning, we set ourselves an ambitious goal – to collect one million packaging – and the fact that we exceeded it before the end of the initial project period confirms that, when there is accessible infrastructure and a simple return mechanism, consumers respond positively and quickly adopt new collection habits. Following the interest and requests received from them, we decided to extend the project until October 23, 2026 in Bucharest and Ilfov. Starting with August 1, the collection network will include 11 RVM machines located in 10 Mega Image stores in Bucharest and Ilfov, while the equipment in Brașov will remain available until July 31.” Ștefan Urziceanu, Sustainability Manager, Tetra Pak, for Romania, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria and Moldova.
The best performing collection point is the Mega Image Piața Sudului store in Bucharest, where almost 290.000 packages were returned, equivalent to almost 28% of the total volume collected under the project. This was followed by the Mega Image Brașov 1034 and Mega Image Titulescu 4 stores in Bucharest. Together, these three collection points concentrated approximately 44% of the total returned packages, demonstrating the efficiency of a collection infrastructure located in high-traffic stores. The most frequently returned product category was represented by 1-liter milk packages.
“A retailer is more than just a place where consumers shop – it is also a place where they can adopt new habits with a positive impact. Through this project, we saw how important it is to offer our customers simple, easy-to-use solutions that are available where they naturally go. Being able to adapt and expand the collection network based on consumer behavior has contributed to increasing results and shows us that such initiatives have potential when they are collaborative and tailored to people's real needs,” stated Emanuel Parvulescu, Head of Environment, Mega Image.
Consumers can continue to return beverage and dairy cartons up to 2 liters, regardless of brand, to participating Mega Image stores (the list of collection points is available on the Tetra Pak website, are here). For each returned package, consumers receive a voucher worth 0,5 lei. The packages must be emptied of content, clean (rinsed), not crushed, with the barcode visible and the lid attached. At the end of the project, all collected packages will be sent for recycling.
By focusing exclusively on beverage and dairy cardboard packaging, the project aims to encourage new collection habits and generate relevant data for infrastructure development in Romania.
Recycling of this packaging is possible when the entire value chain works together – from producers and retailers, to consumers, collectors and recyclers. Through investments in infrastructure, partnerships and innovation, Tetra Pak contributes to the development of an efficient collection and recycling system that is able to keep valuable materials in the economic circuit. The results of the pilot project demonstrate that accessible solutions and collaboration between all actors involved can accelerate the transition to a more circular economy.
About Tetra Pak
Tetra Pak is a global leader in food processing and packaging solutions. Together with our customers and suppliers, we ensure access to safe and nutritious food for hundreds of millions of people in over 160 countries every day.
With over 24.000 employees worldwide, we are dedicated to the mission of providing safe and affordable food anywhere in the world, while staying true to our commitment to protecting what matters: food, people and the planet.
More information about Tetra Pak is available at: www.tetrapak.com.
Article source: Press Release
Read on White Art and: Tetra Pak and Sterilgarda Alimenti – partnership for sustainability
