Pet Supplies Plus and Wag N' Wash are proving that the pet retail industry can lead meaningful change in sustainability. Partnering with TerraCycle, the two franchise brands have recycled more than 100,000 pounds of pet food, treat, and litter packaging in just two years, exceeding their initial goal of 50 tons. What began as a small initiative in October 2023 has evolved into a powerful example of how franchise operations can integrate environmental responsibility into everyday business.
The Free Recycling Program allows customers to drop off empty pet food and litter bags—regardless of brand—at participating store locations. Since the program’s launch, more than 3.2 million pieces of packaging have been collected. Most of this material would typically end up in landfills or oceans, given that nearly 90 percent of pet product packaging is not recyclable through traditional municipal systems. The initiative offers pet owners a convenient and guilt-free way to reduce waste while reinforcing their connection to the brands they trust.
Chris Rowland, CEO of both Pet Supplies Plus and Wag N' Wash, said the program’s success is driven by community participation. “Our neighbors have shown us that they want easy, practical ways to make a difference,” he said. “Every bag dropped off is proof that people are willing to act when you make sustainability accessible.” The message resonates deeply in a retail landscape where customers increasingly expect brands to align their operations with environmental values.
Tom Szaky, founder and CEO of TerraCycle, praised the collaboration for setting a new benchmark in the pet retail sector. By building a system that turns waste into opportunity, he said, Pet Supplies Plus and Wag N' Wash have demonstrated that even complex packaging materials can be responsibly managed at scale. Each item collected represents progress toward a circular economy that keeps materials in use and out of the waste stream.
The partnership’s ongoing success highlights how franchise systems can unite brand purpose, customer engagement, and measurable impact. As more consumers look for ways to live sustainably, programs like this one show that small, everyday actions—such as returning an empty pet food bag—can add up to significant environmental progress. Pet Supplies Plus and Wag N' Wash are not only reshaping how the pet industry thinks about recycling, they are offering a roadmap for how franchised businesses can drive community-powered change.
