11 Feb 2021 US: Coca-Cola transitions to bottles made from 100% rPET

Coca-Cola is introducing new bottles made from 100% recycled plastic material across its North American portfolio. Its new innovations will reduce the use of new plastic by more than 20% compared to 2018.

Coca-Cola said the new packaging will be gradually rolled out during the first half of the year in select states for brands including Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Coke Zero Sugar, Coca-Cola flavours, Fanta, Sprite and Dasani.

The company is creating a new smaller 13.2-ounce bottle size (391ml) for many of its soft drinks that will used the recycled plastic, but will use recycled plastic in some 20-ounce bottles (591ml) as well.

Smartwater will introduce 18-ounce (532ml) aluminum bottles this month and 20-ounce bottles (591ml) made from recyclable material in July.

FoodDive.com insights:

As consumers make decisions based not only on what’s inside a package, but on the actual packaging itself, food and beverage companies have been moving aggressively to give that packaging more attention.

Spirits maker Bacardi is moving to bottle all its brands in 100% biodegradable plastic packaging made with plant-based oils by 2023, and Rebbl is transitioning to 100% recycled and recyclable plastic bottles for all of its 12-ounce organic plant-based beverages.

Diageo has partnered to launch sustainable packaging company Pulpex, and the spirits giant will be testing paper bottles. And Vita Coco is launching a water line packaged in aluminum cans. 

Coca-Cola’s archrival PepsiCo pledged to reduce virgin plastic content across its beverage business by 35% by 2025. The company is working to make 100% of its packaging recyclable, compostable or biodegradable by 2025, which reportedly was about 90% complete as of last July.

The company is also partnering with Diageo’s Pulpex initiative to develop and scale paper bottles for its beverages. 

For Coca-Cola, recyclable plastic is a major step in helping the soda, tea, water and sports drink maker achieve its own sustainability goals. 

In 2018, Coca-Cola pledged to collect and recycle the equivalent of a bottle or can for every one it sells by 2030, make 100% of its packaging recyclable by 2025 and use 50% recycled material in the company’s bottles and cans by 2030….

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