Is Coca-Cola ready to pollute less? The sodas giant, often criticized for being a major polluter with its plastic bottles, has pledged to make 25% of its beverage containers reusable by 2030, an initiative expected by several environmentalists. The company “aims for at least 25% of all beverages of all its brands to be sold by reusable or stored glass or plastic bottles by 2030, or in reusable containers such as fountains to Coca-Cola beverage distributors, ”she said in a statement on Thursday.
While reusable or returnable packaging accounted for approximately 16% of company sales in 2020, Coca-Cola has already made several environmental commitments, such as transitioning to 100% recyclable packaging by 2025 and using 50% recycled materials in bottles and cans by 2030.
“Coca-Cola has a history littered with big announcements and broken promises”
The #Breakfreefromplastics coalition, which once more awarded Coca-Cola the title of “worst plastic polluter in the world” for the fourth consecutive year in its latest report, welcomed the initiative. “This is a step in the right direction but we will remain vigilant and continue to pressure the worst plastic polluters in the world until they decide to use only reusable packaging for good,” wrote the organization in a tweet.
The NGO Greenpeace, which spoke of a “long-awaited” measure, encouraged Coca-Cola to do more and “double its commitment to 50% reusable by 2030”. “Coca-Cola has a history littered with big announcements and broken promises,” said Steve Hyndside of UK organization City to Sea. “The test will be whether or not we see a reduction in their single-use plastic bottles that contribute to plastic pollution. »
