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SAN DIEGO, June 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Petco Health and Wellness Company, Inc. (NASDAQ: WOOF), a complete partner in pet health and wellness, today announced the release of its first sustainability report on May 28, 2021. The report details Petco's progress from the past year in setting the standard in responsible animal care, preserving the health of our planet and helping people thrive, as well as the continued and unconditional support provided to pets and pet parents.

"Our commitment to improving the lives of pets, pet parents and our own Petco partners has been at the core of our business for more than 55 years, but it's never been stronger than it is today," said Ron Coughlin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Petco. "In the wake of a year full of challenges and adversity, human and pet-kind have shown their resilience. Each day we strive to do the right thing for pets, pet parents and the planet we all share – and I'm proud of all we've accomplished to further this goal."

Highlights described in the sustainability report include:

Petco's Progress

• Committing to increase Petco's assortment of sustainable products to 50% by the end of 2025.
• Using 92% less plastic and 23% less cardboard in packaging compared to online-only retailers by fulfilling online orders in Petco pet care centers, which is estimated to have eliminated 3.6 million pounds of cardboard waste and 30,000 pounds of plastic waste in 2020 alone.
• Eliminating more than 3 million single-use plastic bags within the owned brand supply chain that would have otherwise become waste.
• Launching Started as a Bottle, Petco's first sustainably focused product collection, which has upcycled 1.5 million plastic bottles into pet toys and accessories.
• In partnership with Petco Love, helping save roughly 400,000 animals from euthanasia and finding homes for 6.5 million animals.

Setting the Standard in Responsible Animal Care

• Becoming the first major pet retailer to stop selling any human or bark-activated shock collars in Petco pet care centers or at petco.com.
• Revamping training to require new partners in Petco pet care centers to complete a 12-part beginner animal care curriculum as part of their onboarding process.
• Extending Petco's nutrition standards to other companion animal foods so its rabbit, chinchilla, guinea pig, gerbil, hamster, rat, mouse and fish foods are sold free of artificial ingredients.*
• Having more than 93% of the aquatic life sold in Petco pet care centers be aquacultured, including freshwater fish and coral.

Preserving the Health of Our Planet

• Maintaining an energy management system, which has reduced or maintained energy intensity levels at approximately 1,400 Petco pet care centers over the last 6 years.
• Producing approximately 1,300 MWh of electricity through solar panels for Petco's national support center in San Diego.
• Increasing recycled content requirements across several Petco owned brands, including Reddy and Started as a Bottle, as well as reducing the amount of plastic packaging used through Petco's So Phresh refillable cat litter program.
• Digitizing many previously printed materials, including companion animal purchase cards and hourly animal health check sheets.

Helping People Thrive

• Launching wellbeing@petco to focus on the individual and collective well-being of the Petco family by encouraging resilience, promoting resources and orchestrating activities and touchpoints that build community.
• Delivering over 4,300 hours of learning sessions focused on diversity, inclusion and belonging to field and distribution center leaders.
• Launching the Petco Partner Assistance Fund with $2 million in initial funding to provide ongoing support to Petco partners as they face the effects of COVID-19, and in future times of need.

To view Petco's sustainability report, visit: corporate.petco.com/corporate-responsibility.

*See how Petco defines artificial ingredients at petco.com/nutritionstandards.

About Petco, The Health + Wellness Co.
Petco is a category-defining health and wellness company focused on improving the lives of pets, pet parents and our own Petco partners. Since our founding in 1965, we've been striving to set new standards in pet care, delivering comprehensive wellness solutions through our products and services, and creating communities that deepen the pet-pet parent bond. We operate more than 1,500 Petco locations across the U.S., Mexico and Puerto Rico, including a growing network of more than 100 in-store veterinary hospitals, and offer a complete online resource for pet health and wellness at petco.com and on the Petco app. In tandem with Petco Love (formerly the Petco Foundation), an independent nonprofit organization, we work with and support thousands of local animal welfare groups across the country and, through in-store adoption events, we've helped find homes for more than 6.5 million animals.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, concerning expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance and underlying assumptions and other statements that are other than statements of historical fact. Although Petco believes that the expectations and assumptions reflected in these statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that these expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are subject to many risks and uncertainties, including the risk factors that Petco identifies in its Securities and Exchange Commission filings, and actual results may differ materially from the results discussed in such forward-looking statements. Petco undertakes no duty to update publicly any forward-looking statement that it may make, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable law, regulation or other competent legal authority.

SOURCE Petco Health and Wellness Company, Inc.