Global beverage company Coca-Cola will use 100pc recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) to manufacture all plastic bottles of 500ml or less from September 2021 in the UK.
The company estimates the move — which will affect all Coca-Cola beverages and other brands in its portfolio such as Fanta, Sprite and Dr Pepper — will reduce virgin plastic use by 29,000 t/yr.
The need for more sustainable solutions has been rising in recent years. More companies have been stepping up plastics sustainability efforts given increasing environmental pressure to reduce plastic waste. Coca-Cola recently signed the Anzpac Plastics Pact that aims to eliminate plastic waste in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands by 2025.
The rPET bottles are also fully recyclable. Coca-Cola will work with government officials and industry partners to create a deposit return scheme in the UK to encourage consumers to recycle material. Implementation in Scotland is expected in July 2022, with England and Wales to follow.
Coca-Cola is also completing a transition from plastic shrink wrap to cardboard packaging for all its multipacks.
