Coca-Cola ends use of non-recycled plastic in on-the-go bottles

By Éilis Cronin in Soft Drinks 30th June 2021

Coca-Cola Great Britain (GB) is now using 100% recycled plastic for its entire range of on-the-go bottles, in partnership with Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP).

The move means that all plastic bottles of 500ml or less are to be made with 100% recycled plastic and will continue to be fully recyclable.

The first 100% recycled 500ml bottles will start appearing on shelves from September.

This means Coca-Cola Great Britain will increase the amount of recycled plastic material in smaller bottles from 50% to 100%.

The company is also completing the transition from plastic shrink wrap to cardboard packaging across all multi-packs.

A deposit return scheme is planned for implementation in Scotland by July next year, with England and Wales following thereafter.

Stephen Moorhouse, general manager at CCEP GB, said: “Increasing the amount of recycled plastic we use is a critical point in our sustainable packaging journey and reaching 100%rPET puts us one step closer to achieving our ambition of a world without waste – collecting and recycling a bottle or can for every one that we sell by 2025.”