Is Coca-Cola preparing to pollute less?
The soda giant, often criticized for being a major polluter with its plastic bottles, has pledged to make 25% of its drink containers reusable by 2030, an initiative expected by several environmental activists.
The company “aims that at least 25% of all beverages across all of its brands will, by 2030, be sold in reusable or returnable glass or plastic bottles, or in reusable containers such as drinking fountains. drink or distributors of Coca-Cola drinks, ”she explains in a press release released 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 again 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.
»