Coca-Cola launches label-free PET bottle, what inspiration does the brand have on sustainable packaging?

Solving the problem of plastic waste requires innovation

We've all heard dire predictions about the plastic waste crisis: By 2050, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish; by 2030, plastic waste will nearly double from 260 million tons/year in 2016 to 460 million tons/year; only 12% of plastic is recycled; we will be living on a "plastic planet" by the end of the century

Unfortunately, there are many purported solutions to the plastic waste crisis, including charges, taxes and bans on single-use plastics, that do nothing

In a McKinsey & Co.

On top of that, collecting the plastic waste needed for these advanced technologies has always been a challenge for its business model to be successful

Plastic recycling, advantages and disadvantages of 3 methods

The McKinsey report states that there are a number of technologies that are "technically feasible" to enable the reuse of plastics, including: ① large-scale expansion of mechanical recycling; ② "single material recycling" (also known as chemical recycling); ③ Plastic waste is reprocessed to make liquid feedstocks in a pyrolysis-type process known as pyrolysis

What are the advantages and disadvantages of these technologies?

1.

While mechanical recycling is well established in the United States, through collection boxes in urban centers and curbside pickup programs in residential areas, these recycling primarily targets PET, HDPE, and a portion of PP

2.

A complete ban on single-use plastics seems to be the way forward for many municipalities and even entire states.

Craig Cookson, senior director of recycling and reuse at the American Chemistry Council (ACC), said recently that the ACC and the consortium's 42 member companies aim to recycle and reuse 100 percent of plastic packaging

While a blanket ban on plastic packaging and single-use plastics seems like a quick and easy solution to lawmakers, Cookson believes lawmakers need to know the facts

What are the consequences of banning plastic products?

An ICIS report, Sustainability of plastic alternatives with lower regulatory risk, according to a UK parliamentary select committee, states that “average energy consumption for non-plastic food packaging alternatives has increased by a factor of 2.

Cookson noted that by engaging with industry, lawmakers can make better choices

Cookson added: “I think this is an exciting time for innovators

When mechanical recycling and plastic ban measures

when it is not feasible,

How Coca-Cola Cashed in

Sustainable packaging in action?

Coca-Cola, Sustainable Packaging Action

As early as January 19, 2018, Coca-Cola announced a global strategy for sustainable packaging, proposing the goal of "100% packaging recycling and reuse by 2030", and called it "to create a world without waste" Global Vision, the goal is to achieve 100% equivalent recycling of all beverage packaging by 2030

To achieve this goal, Coca-Cola and its bottling partners will continue to invest in developing innovative packaging and protecting the global environment.

For two years, Coca-Cola has started its sustainable packaging initiatives around the world
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100% recycled plastic, encouraging recycling

Sweden's Coca-Cola has released new labels for a range of beverages to increase recycling of plastic bottles
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The labels on the PET bottles of Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite and Bonaqua are now white with the message "Recycle me again": I am made from 100% recycled plastic and made in Sweden
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Source: FoodBev

In November 2019, Coca-Cola Sweden announced that all Coca-Cola plastic bottles are made from 100% recycled materials
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The company said that by using 100% recycled material in its bottles, it will reduce the use of 3,500 tonnes of virgin plastic annually in Sweden
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Barbara Tönz, general manager of Coca-Cola AB, said: "We are delighted to bring these new bottles to the market that do not use new virgin oil-based plastics
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“Of course, we also want to make sure that every single one of these bottles can be recycled and reused, making sure that none of the material is left in the form of trash or waste
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That’s also something I’m proud of, by launching a bottle with a distinctly different look than usual.
label, we are using brand power and influence to promote the important idea of ​​environmental protection
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”

Sofie Morsink Eliasson, Managing Director of Coca-Cola Sweden European Partners, added: “To achieve a circular economy for packaging requires collaboration
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We have a well-established storage system in Sweden, where most of the bottles are collected
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Today, 85% of all PET bottles are % are stored and recycled
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”

"Our plan is to further increase bottle recycling to meet our 100 per cent recycling target by 2025.

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Its bottled water pushes unlabeled PET bottles

Coca-Cola not only launched 100% recycled material PET bottles + recycling labels in Sweden, but also launched unlabeled PET bottles in Japan to further simplify the recycling process of beverage bottles
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Industry giant Coca-Cola has launched 100% label-free recycled bottles for its drinking water brand I LOHAS in the Japanese market to reduce waste and pollution,media reported
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It is understood that I LOHAS has removed the labels from all bottles, except for some special channels
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At the same time, the brand has also introduced a more streamlined packaging design
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In addition, for convenient and efficient recycling, this 555ml I LOHAS PET bottle is easier to shred than normal PET bottles
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The bottled water brand of Coca-Cola launched unlabeled PET bottles this time, obviously to further realize the simplification of packaging materials, and avoid increasing the difficulty of recycling PET bottles due to the different label materials and bottle materials
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