The soda and beverage giant has often been criticized for being one of the biggest producers of plastic waste. Today’s move is a culmination of initiatives Coca-Cola and other companies began several years ago to cut plastics use.
Beginning in February 2021, the company is shifting to 100 percent recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) plastic bottles across its drink portfolio. Brands, including Coke, Coke Zero Sugar, Diet Coke, and Fanta will now come in a new, 13.2oz bottle designed to be sippable and reduce the amount of plastic used, according to Waste 360.
The new, 13.2-ounce bottle is Coke’s response to its customers wanting a container that’s less wasteful. “We’ve been listening to consumers and they have been telling us they want something a little smaller and a little more easy to consume,” Alpa Sutaria, Coca-Cola’s general manager of sustainability, told CNN Business. “We took this opportunity to make a bottle with plastic that’s 100% recyclable.”
The 13.2-ounce size bottle is smaller than the typical 20-ounce bottle. The company notes that its 7.5-ounce mini can have garnered strong sales. The Atlanta, Georgia-based firm said the new recycled bottles would help reduce its use of new plastic by more than 20 percent across its North American portfolio compared with 2018, reports Reuters.
Nestle and PepsiCo, among the top polluters, have also taken steps to redesign packaging and reduce waste. Nestlé, the world’s biggest food company, announced last year it’s spending $2 billion on similar initiatives. Pepsi recently rolled out a redesigned 2-liter bottle that uses 24 percent less material.
