Following the switch to rPET non-refillable bottles for the ViO, Fuze Tea and Powerade brands in the spring, the beverage manufacturer says the core brands Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Zero, Coke light, Fanta, Sprite and mezzo mix are now following suit. Their smaller packages up to and including 0.5 liter will now also be sold in bottles made from 100 percent recycled PET. With this measure, Coca-Cola says it is exceeding its self-imposed target in Germany of using at least 50 percent recycled material for the production of its non-refillable PET bottles by 2023. The switch is expected to save around 28,000 tons of virgin material in 2021, which would amount to a CO2 saving of around 48,700 tons. The declared goal would be to reduce the use of virgin material in the production of non-refillable PET bottles and to turn old bottles into new ones. Coca-Cola would sell deposit packaging in Germany to 99,9 percent that can be either recycled or refilled. With an educational campaign, the beverage manufacturer wants to raise awareness that the empty bottles consumers return to deposit machines become new beverage bottles again with the help of a closed-loop recycling system. Consumers would not yet be aware of the sustainability aspect of rPET bottles: so far, according to the results of a recent Civey survey, only 17 percent would have consciously opted for packaging made from recycled PET when buying soft drinks.

 

Sources:

• packreport.de (9/15/2021)
• Photo: © Coca Cola