Coca-Cola has announced that it will be stripping Sprite bottles of its labels in an attempt to streamline the recycling process. While any attempt at more eco-conscious practice is never a bad thing, Coca-Cola's underwhelming pledge seems to be ignoring the bigger picture – what about the plastic bottle itself?
While last year saw many soft drinks rebranding, there seems to be little progress in tackling the issue of plastic pollution caused by packaging. While small changes are a positive step, it feels like a global brand such as Coca-Cola could be doing a lot more than just stripping its Sprite bottles down for a quick eco-conscious accolade.
In a press release, Coca-Cola confirmed that Sprite will undergo "a short UK trial" where bottles will be bare, with essential laser-engraved product information on the back, in lieu of a label. The decision aims to help "reduce the amount of packaging material used overall," despite still using plastic bottles to contain the product. The limited rollout of the new Sprite bottles is somewhat of an underwhelming announcement – a fact that only highlights the brand's weak sustainable practice in how little they have to show.
Yet Coca-Cola claims that its recent eco-efforts are part of a wider initiative, noting the shift from green to clear plastic packaging as another example of its World Without Waste strategy. The company also claims that it will be working to create lightweight bottles and reduce the amount of packaging in both distribution and general sales.
While the current bottles (minus the cap) are made of 100% recycled plastic, the announcement feels more like an attempt to greenwash the brand, given the sustainable emphasis placed on such a small trial run of products. In 2022, Break Free From Plastic's brand audit revealed that Coca-Cola was the worst plastic polluter for five years running, and with no major changes from the brand, it will need to enact significant changes to prove it's truly sustainable. Unfortunately, ditching the label isn't enough.
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