COCA-COLA has announced an ‘industry leading’ goal to ‘significantly’ boost its use of reusable packaging.
The company aims to have at least 25% of all its beverages globally sold in refillable/returnable glass or plastic bottles by 2030.
It is set to expand the rollout of its plastic universal bottle, which was first introduced in 2018 in Brazil and is now used in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala and Panama.
The system involves consumers indirectly paying a deposit on Coca-Cola beverages which is then returned once the empty bottle is deposited at a store. The bottle is then sent back to Coca-Cola to be cleaned, stripped of its label and refilled.
It will also collaborate with French retail firm, Carrefour, to pilot the circular shopping system, Loop, in France. This will allow consumers to purchase reusable bottles which can be returned to the store, where they will be cleaned and refilled.
Reusable cups featuring microchip technology will also be launched for use at Coca-Cola Freestyle machines at theme parks and universities, with a partnership with Burger King and TerraCycle seeing the trial use of reusable food containers and beverage cups in America.
Ben Jordan, senior director of packaging and climate of The Coca-Cola Company, commented, “Reusable packaging is among the most effective ways to reduce waste, use fewer resources and lower our carbon footprint in support of a circular economy. We will continue to highlight markets that are leading the way with reusable packaging best practices, and to support other markets as they increase their use of reusable packaging adding that each market will approach the goal in a different way.”
