MAM
Marico Limited partners with Future Retail Limited to launch Plastic Recycling Program
MUMBAI: Marico Limited, in line with its commitment to sustainability, has announced its partnership with Future Retail’s format Big Bazaar to launch a plastic recycling program ‘Plastic Lao Paise Kamao’. Aligned with the national agenda on plastic waste management, this initiative is aimed at building awareness amongst consumers around plastic recycling and encourages them to take an active role.
The program enables consumers to submit plastic bottles across 21 key Big Bazaar outlets in and around Mumbai. For each bottle that is submitted, Marico Limited in association with Future Retail offers INR 10 to consumers, which is instantly credited to their Future Pay wallet and can be redeemed against their purchase. The incentive provided is for all products of Marico Limited and also for products of Future Consumer Limited, irrespective of the size of the bottle. The program will be supported by in-store announcements through radio jingles, shelf wobblers, collection units, posters, as well as promotional messages that will be shared with customers.
The Government of India has embarked upon several projects to increase awareness around plastic recycling and to curb the negative environmental impact of plastic waste. This initiative is in line with the Government’s efforts and echoes the sentiments of its “Swachhatha Hi Seva” mission.
Commenting on the partnership with Future Retail, Jitendra Mahajan, Chief Operating Officer- Supply Chain & IT, Marico Limited, said, “This initiative is part of Marico’s broader vision and commitment to address plastic waste management. While 94 percent of Marico’s packaging material used is recyclable, we need to do more. Managing plastic waste is a complex challenge and needs collective action engaging consumers and other stakeholders. We are very happy to join hands with Future Retail to drive the plastic circular economy agenda aligned to the “Swachhatha Hi Seva” mission of the Government. Through this initiative, we wish to create awareness about plastic waste pollution and drive change in the consumers’ behaviour”.
Speaking about the partnership, Sadashiv Nayak, Business Head, Big Bazaar, said, “Every material has a value through-out its life cycle, it is this circular economy approach that encourages customers, businesses and the industry to participate as champions of change. The Plastic Lao Paise Kamao – a closed loop plastic recycling campaign, initiated in September 2018 is part of our wider sustainability agenda to reduce our ecological footprint. The program launched in Big Bazaar stores in Mumbai and parts of Maharashtra has seen increasing number of customers bring back bottles to stores and gain a financial reward in their Future Pay wallets. As a retailer, Big Bazaar is aligned with the Government’s Swachh Bharat Mission and is taking necessary actions in keeping with the Prime Minister’s call for a plastic free India.”
Marico’s sustainability agenda aims to maximise resource efficiency and mitigate negative ecological impact. With our stated purpose to always ‘Make a Difference’, the organisation ensures its action creates a positive impact on all stakeholders.
Brands
Flipkart completes reverse flip to India ahead of IPO
Walmart-owned e-commerce giant shifts domicile from Singapore to Bengaluru
MUMBAI: Flipkart has completed its restructuring to move its parent company from Singapore back to India, marking a key milestone as the Walmart-owned marketplace prepares for a potential initial public offering on Indian stock exchanges, ET reported, citing people aware of the matter.
The move, often referred to as a “reverse flip”, relocates the company’s legal home to India and aligns its corporate structure more closely with its largest market. It also clears an important regulatory step for Flipkart as it explores listing plans.
As part of the restructuring, several Singapore-based entities have been merged into Flipkart Internet Private Limited, which will now serve as the main holding company for the entire group.
The consolidation brings a number of major businesses directly under the Indian parent company. These include fashion platform Myntra, logistics arm Ekart, travel booking platform Cleartrip, healthcare marketplace Flipkart Health, and fintech venture Super.money.
Under the new structure, global investors including Walmart, Microsoft, SoftBank, and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board will hold their stakes directly in the Indian entity rather than through an overseas holding company.
The redomiciliation required approval from the Indian government because Chinese technology company Tencent owns around a 5 to 6 per cent stake in Flipkart. Under Press Note 3, investments from countries sharing a land border with India require prior government clearance.
Flipkart had already secured approval from the National Company Law Tribunal in December. With the latest clearance from the central government, the company has now obtained all the regulatory approvals needed to complete the relocation, ET reported earlier.
Flipkart had originally shifted its holding structure to Singapore in 2011 to tap global capital more easily. However, as India’s capital markets have matured, several start-ups have begun returning their domiciles to the country ahead of public listings. Companies such as Razorpay, Groww, and Meesho have taken similar steps.
The company is now expected to move ahead with its IPO preparations and has begun early discussions with merchant bankers. According to people familiar with the matter, Flipkart could file its draft prospectus later this year, setting the stage for what may become one of the most closely watched listings in India’s e-commerce sector.
Flipkart has been majority-owned by Walmart since 2018, when the US retail giant acquired a 77 per cent stake in the company for $16 billion in one of the largest e-commerce deals globally.
