Coca Cola GB launches first 100% recycled bottles.

Coca Cola Great Britain has launched their first 100 per cent recycled bottle across their Glaceau Smartwater Range.

In a move welcomed by DEFRA, the third largest on-the-go bottled water brand in Great Britain will move its entire range and both its 600ml and 850ml servings into plastic bottles made from 100 per cent recycled PET plastic. 

In the UK, over 5 million tonnes of plastic is consumed every year, only one-quarter of which is recycled, with the rest thrown out in landfills to pollute the environment and people.

This new switch to recycled bottles will remove 3,100 tonnes of virgin plastic from circulation.

Commenting on the news, Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey said: “Congratulations to Coca-Cola on making this significant step to help our natural environment. These initiatives, including using more recycled plastic in their bottles, set a fine example to other large businesses and we hope that others follow suit.”

In the past, Coca Cola have been criticised for the lack of commitment they have made towards a more sustainable future. This new initiative will ensure that they are on the right track to meet their target of having at least 50% recycled PET Plastics on all of their bottles in 2020.

In a bid to raise their sustainably profile further, Coca Cola are also working with local reprocessors to double the amount of recycled PET used in all its bottles, across 20 of its brands, to at least 5%.

Jon Woods, General Manager of Coca-Cola Great Britain, said: “Our new Smartwater bottle shows we can go further. But that requires more packaging to be collected so that more can be reused to make new bottles. That’s why we support the planned reforms of the current recycling system in Great Britain and are calling for the introduction of a well-designed deposit return scheme for drinks containers, which we believe will reduce litter and increase the quantity and quality of material reprocessed in this country.”

     20 June 2019