diff --git a/sdk/metric/internal/reuse_slice.go b/sdk/metric/internal/reuse_slice.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9695492b0d1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sdk/metric/internal/reuse_slice.go
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+// Copyright The OpenTelemetry Authors
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package internal // import "go.opentelemetry.io/otel/sdk/metric/internal"
+
+// ReuseSlice returns a zeroed view of slice if its capacity is greater than or
+// equal to n. Otherwise, it returns a new []T with capacity equal to n.
+func ReuseSlice[T any](slice []T, n int) []T {
+	if cap(slice) >= n {
+		return slice[:n]
+	}
+	return make([]T, n)
+}
diff --git a/sdk/metric/manual_reader.go b/sdk/metric/manual_reader.go
index f9b405915fc..cc1072ce7ea 100644
--- a/sdk/metric/manual_reader.go
+++ b/sdk/metric/manual_reader.go
@@ -135,9 +135,8 @@ func (mr *manualReader) Collect(ctx context.Context, rm *metricdata.ResourceMetr
 		err := fmt.Errorf("manual reader: invalid producer: %T", p)
 		return err
 	}
-	// TODO (#3047): When produce is updated to accept output as param, pass rm.
-	rmTemp, err := ph.produce(ctx)
-	*rm = rmTemp
+
+	err := ph.produce(ctx, rm)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/sdk/metric/periodic_reader.go b/sdk/metric/periodic_reader.go
index 3ba93293bf7..5ae185f09e9 100644
--- a/sdk/metric/periodic_reader.go
+++ b/sdk/metric/periodic_reader.go
@@ -120,6 +120,10 @@ func NewPeriodicReader(exporter Exporter, options ...PeriodicReaderOption) Reade
 		flushCh:  make(chan chan error),
 		cancel:   cancel,
 		done:     make(chan struct{}),
+		rmPool: sync.Pool{
+			New: func() interface{} {
+				return &metricdata.ResourceMetrics{}
+			}},
 	}
 	r.externalProducers.Store([]Producer{})
 
@@ -147,6 +151,8 @@ type periodicReader struct {
 	done         chan struct{}
 	cancel       context.CancelFunc
 	shutdownOnce sync.Once
+
+	rmPool sync.Pool
 }
 
 // Compile time check the periodicReader implements Reader and is comparable.
@@ -214,11 +220,12 @@ func (r *periodicReader) aggregation(kind InstrumentKind) aggregation.Aggregatio
 // the SDK and exports it with r's exporter.
 func (r *periodicReader) collectAndExport(ctx context.Context) error {
 	// TODO (#3047): Use a sync.Pool or persistent pointer instead of allocating rm every Collect.
-	rm := metricdata.ResourceMetrics{}
-	err := r.Collect(ctx, &rm)
+	rm := r.rmPool.Get().(*metricdata.ResourceMetrics)
+	err := r.Collect(ctx, rm)
 	if err == nil {
-		err = r.export(ctx, rm)
+		err = r.export(ctx, *rm)
 	}
+	r.rmPool.Put(rm)
 	return err
 }
 
@@ -233,15 +240,13 @@ func (r *periodicReader) Collect(ctx context.Context, rm *metricdata.ResourceMet
 		return errors.New("periodic reader: *metricdata.ResourceMetrics is nil")
 	}
 	// TODO (#3047): When collect is updated to accept output as param, pass rm.
-	rmTemp, err := r.collect(ctx, r.sdkProducer.Load())
-	*rm = rmTemp
-	return err
+	return r.collect(ctx, r.sdkProducer.Load(), rm)
 }
 
 // collect unwraps p as a produceHolder and returns its produce results.
-func (r *periodicReader) collect(ctx context.Context, p interface{}) (metricdata.ResourceMetrics, error) {
+func (r *periodicReader) collect(ctx context.Context, p interface{}, rm *metricdata.ResourceMetrics) error {
 	if p == nil {
-		return metricdata.ResourceMetrics{}, ErrReaderNotRegistered
+		return ErrReaderNotRegistered
 	}
 
 	ph, ok := p.(produceHolder)
@@ -251,12 +256,12 @@ func (r *periodicReader) collect(ctx context.Context, p interface{}) (metricdata
 		// happen, return an error instead of panicking so a users code does
 		// not halt in the processes.
 		err := fmt.Errorf("periodic reader: invalid producer: %T", p)
-		return metricdata.ResourceMetrics{}, err
+		return err
 	}
 
-	rm, err := ph.produce(ctx)
+	err := ph.produce(ctx, rm)
 	if err != nil {
-		return metricdata.ResourceMetrics{}, err
+		return err
 	}
 	var errs []error
 	for _, producer := range r.externalProducers.Load().([]Producer) {
@@ -266,7 +271,7 @@ func (r *periodicReader) collect(ctx context.Context, p interface{}) (metricdata
 		}
 		rm.ScopeMetrics = append(rm.ScopeMetrics, externalMetrics...)
 	}
-	return rm, unifyErrors(errs)
+	return unifyErrors(errs)
 }
 
 // export exports metric data m using r's exporter.
@@ -313,11 +318,12 @@ func (r *periodicReader) Shutdown(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 		if ph != nil { // Reader was registered.
 			// Flush pending telemetry.
-			var m metricdata.ResourceMetrics
-			m, err = r.collect(ctx, ph)
+			m := r.rmPool.Get().(*metricdata.ResourceMetrics)
+			err = r.collect(ctx, ph, m)
 			if err == nil {
-				err = r.export(ctx, m)
+				err = r.export(ctx, *m)
 			}
+			r.rmPool.Put(m)
 		}
 
 		sErr := r.exporter.Shutdown(ctx)
diff --git a/sdk/metric/pipeline.go b/sdk/metric/pipeline.go
index 47a44fda71c..4cad3698dd0 100644
--- a/sdk/metric/pipeline.go
+++ b/sdk/metric/pipeline.go
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ func (p *pipeline) addMultiCallback(c multiCallback) (unregister func()) {
 // produce returns aggregated metrics from a single collection.
 //
 // This method is safe to call concurrently.
-func (p *pipeline) produce(ctx context.Context) (metricdata.ResourceMetrics, error) {
+func (p *pipeline) produce(ctx context.Context, rm *metricdata.ResourceMetrics) error {
 	p.Lock()
 	defer p.Unlock()
 
@@ -132,7 +132,9 @@ func (p *pipeline) produce(ctx context.Context) (metricdata.ResourceMetrics, err
 			errs.append(err)
 		}
 		if err := ctx.Err(); err != nil {
-			return metricdata.ResourceMetrics{}, err
+			rm.Resource = nil
+			rm.ScopeMetrics = rm.ScopeMetrics[:0]
+			return err
 		}
 	}
 	for e := p.multiCallbacks.Front(); e != nil; e = e.Next() {
@@ -143,36 +145,39 @@ func (p *pipeline) produce(ctx context.Context) (metricdata.ResourceMetrics, err
 		}
 		if err := ctx.Err(); err != nil {
 			// This means the context expired before we finished running callbacks.
-			return metricdata.ResourceMetrics{}, err
+			rm.Resource = nil
+			rm.ScopeMetrics = rm.ScopeMetrics[:0]
+			return err
 		}
 	}
 
-	sm := make([]metricdata.ScopeMetrics, 0, len(p.aggregations))
+	rm.Resource = p.resource
+	rm.ScopeMetrics = internal.ReuseSlice(rm.ScopeMetrics, len(p.aggregations))
+
+	i := 0
 	for scope, instruments := range p.aggregations {
-		metrics := make([]metricdata.Metrics, 0, len(instruments))
+		rm.ScopeMetrics[i].Metrics = internal.ReuseSlice(rm.ScopeMetrics[i].Metrics, len(instruments))
+		j := 0
 		for _, inst := range instruments {
 			data := inst.aggregator.Aggregation()
 			if data != nil {
-				metrics = append(metrics, metricdata.Metrics{
-					Name:        inst.name,
-					Description: inst.description,
-					Unit:        inst.unit,
-					Data:        data,
-				})
+				rm.ScopeMetrics[i].Metrics[j].Name = inst.name
+				rm.ScopeMetrics[i].Metrics[j].Description = inst.description
+				rm.ScopeMetrics[i].Metrics[j].Unit = inst.unit
+				rm.ScopeMetrics[i].Metrics[j].Data = data
+				j++
 			}
 		}
-		if len(metrics) > 0 {
-			sm = append(sm, metricdata.ScopeMetrics{
-				Scope:   scope,
-				Metrics: metrics,
-			})
+		rm.ScopeMetrics[i].Metrics = rm.ScopeMetrics[i].Metrics[:j]
+		if len(rm.ScopeMetrics[i].Metrics) > 0 {
+			rm.ScopeMetrics[i].Scope = scope
+			i++
 		}
 	}
 
-	return metricdata.ResourceMetrics{
-		Resource:     p.resource,
-		ScopeMetrics: sm,
-	}, errs.errorOrNil()
+	rm.ScopeMetrics = rm.ScopeMetrics[:i]
+
+	return errs.errorOrNil()
 }
 
 // inserter facilitates inserting of new instruments from a single scope into a
diff --git a/sdk/metric/pipeline_test.go b/sdk/metric/pipeline_test.go
index c7e8d31f5ed..581ab595776 100644
--- a/sdk/metric/pipeline_test.go
+++ b/sdk/metric/pipeline_test.go
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@ func (testSumAggregator) Aggregation() metricdata.Aggregation {
 func TestEmptyPipeline(t *testing.T) {
 	pipe := &pipeline{}
 
-	output, err := pipe.produce(context.Background())
+	output := metricdata.ResourceMetrics{}
+	err := pipe.produce(context.Background(), &output)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.Nil(t, output.Resource)
 	assert.Len(t, output.ScopeMetrics, 0)
@@ -56,7 +57,7 @@ func TestEmptyPipeline(t *testing.T) {
 		pipe.addMultiCallback(func(context.Context) error { return nil })
 	})
 
-	output, err = pipe.produce(context.Background())
+	err = pipe.produce(context.Background(), &output)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.Nil(t, output.Resource)
 	require.Len(t, output.ScopeMetrics, 1)
@@ -66,7 +67,8 @@ func TestEmptyPipeline(t *testing.T) {
 func TestNewPipeline(t *testing.T) {
 	pipe := newPipeline(nil, nil, nil)
 
-	output, err := pipe.produce(context.Background())
+	output := metricdata.ResourceMetrics{}
+	err := pipe.produce(context.Background(), &output)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.Equal(t, resource.Empty(), output.Resource)
 	assert.Len(t, output.ScopeMetrics, 0)
@@ -80,7 +82,7 @@ func TestNewPipeline(t *testing.T) {
 		pipe.addMultiCallback(func(context.Context) error { return nil })
 	})
 
-	output, err = pipe.produce(context.Background())
+	err = pipe.produce(context.Background(), &output)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.Equal(t, resource.Empty(), output.Resource)
 	require.Len(t, output.ScopeMetrics, 1)
@@ -91,7 +93,8 @@ func TestPipelineUsesResource(t *testing.T) {
 	res := resource.NewWithAttributes("noSchema", attribute.String("test", "resource"))
 	pipe := newPipeline(res, nil, nil)
 
-	output, err := pipe.produce(context.Background())
+	output := metricdata.ResourceMetrics{}
+	err := pipe.produce(context.Background(), &output)
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.Equal(t, res, output.Resource)
 }
@@ -99,6 +102,7 @@ func TestPipelineUsesResource(t *testing.T) {
 func TestPipelineConcurrency(t *testing.T) {
 	pipe := newPipeline(nil, nil, nil)
 	ctx := context.Background()
+	var output metricdata.ResourceMetrics
 
 	var wg sync.WaitGroup
 	const threads = 2
@@ -106,7 +110,7 @@ func TestPipelineConcurrency(t *testing.T) {
 		wg.Add(1)
 		go func() {
 			defer wg.Done()
-			_, _ = pipe.produce(ctx)
+			_ = pipe.produce(ctx, &output)
 		}()
 
 		wg.Add(1)
@@ -167,7 +171,8 @@ func testDefaultViewImplicit[N int64 | float64]() func(t *testing.T) {
 					a.Aggregate(1, *attribute.EmptySet())
 				}
 
-				out, err := test.pipe.produce(context.Background())
+				out := metricdata.ResourceMetrics{}
+				err = test.pipe.produce(context.Background(), &out)
 				require.NoError(t, err)
 				require.Len(t, out.ScopeMetrics, 1, "Aggregator not registered with pipeline")
 				sm := out.ScopeMetrics[0]
diff --git a/sdk/metric/reader.go b/sdk/metric/reader.go
index 9d6972b53d8..3950ea6ecef 100644
--- a/sdk/metric/reader.go
+++ b/sdk/metric/reader.go
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ type sdkProducer interface {
 	// produce returns aggregated metrics from a single collection.
 	//
 	// This method is safe to call concurrently.
-	produce(context.Context) (metricdata.ResourceMetrics, error)
+	produce(context.Context, *metricdata.ResourceMetrics) error
 }
 
 // Producer produces metrics for a Reader from an external source.
@@ -113,15 +113,15 @@ type Producer interface {
 // produceHolder is used as an atomic.Value to wrap the non-concrete producer
 // type.
 type produceHolder struct {
-	produce func(context.Context) (metricdata.ResourceMetrics, error)
+	produce func(context.Context, *metricdata.ResourceMetrics) error
 }
 
 // shutdownProducer produces an ErrReaderShutdown error always.
 type shutdownProducer struct{}
 
 // produce returns an ErrReaderShutdown error.
-func (p shutdownProducer) produce(context.Context) (metricdata.ResourceMetrics, error) {
-	return metricdata.ResourceMetrics{}, ErrReaderShutdown
+func (p shutdownProducer) produce(context.Context, *metricdata.ResourceMetrics) error {
+	return ErrReaderShutdown
 }
 
 // TemporalitySelector selects the temporality to use based on the InstrumentKind.
diff --git a/sdk/metric/reader_test.go b/sdk/metric/reader_test.go
index 85ddca62288..6c523cdf7a3 100644
--- a/sdk/metric/reader_test.go
+++ b/sdk/metric/reader_test.go
@@ -103,10 +103,11 @@ func (ts *readerTestSuite) TestMultipleForceFlush() {
 
 func (ts *readerTestSuite) TestMultipleRegister() {
 	p0 := testSDKProducer{
-		produceFunc: func(ctx context.Context) (metricdata.ResourceMetrics, error) {
+		produceFunc: func(ctx context.Context, rm *metricdata.ResourceMetrics) error {
 			// Differentiate this producer from the second by returning an
 			// error.
-			return testResourceMetricsA, assert.AnError
+			*rm = testResourceMetricsA
+			return assert.AnError
 		},
 	}
 	p1 := testSDKProducer{}
@@ -144,8 +145,9 @@ func (ts *readerTestSuite) TestExternalProducerPartialSuccess() {
 
 func (ts *readerTestSuite) TestSDKFailureBlocksExternalProducer() {
 	ts.Reader.register(testSDKProducer{
-		produceFunc: func(ctx context.Context) (metricdata.ResourceMetrics, error) {
-			return metricdata.ResourceMetrics{}, assert.AnError
+		produceFunc: func(ctx context.Context, rm *metricdata.ResourceMetrics) error {
+			*rm = metricdata.ResourceMetrics{}
+			return assert.AnError
 		}})
 	ts.Reader.RegisterProducer(testExternalProducer{})
 
@@ -252,14 +254,15 @@ var testResourceMetricsAB = metricdata.ResourceMetrics{
 }
 
 type testSDKProducer struct {
-	produceFunc func(context.Context) (metricdata.ResourceMetrics, error)
+	produceFunc func(context.Context, *metricdata.ResourceMetrics) error
 }
 
-func (p testSDKProducer) produce(ctx context.Context) (metricdata.ResourceMetrics, error) {
+func (p testSDKProducer) produce(ctx context.Context, rm *metricdata.ResourceMetrics) error {
 	if p.produceFunc != nil {
-		return p.produceFunc(ctx)
+		return p.produceFunc(ctx, rm)
 	}
-	return testResourceMetricsA, nil
+	*rm = testResourceMetricsA
+	return nil
 }
 
 type testExternalProducer struct {