Coca Cola Implements Circular Economy on Its Bottles
The Coca Cola company applies the circular economy principle by innovating its bottle packaging. This can be an inspiration for businesses, especially those who use plastic as packaging products.
Industry Leading Goal
The Coca Cola company has stated it will commit to selling at least 25% of all beverages across its global portfolio in refillable or reusable cups or bottles. They target this ambition in 2030.
They say that the total sales of Coca Cola products that use recycled and reusable materials have reached 16% in 2020. Interestingly, in more than 20 markets, sales of recycled and reusable bottle products have reached more than 50%. This shows the high interest of the community to buy environmentally friendly products.
Universal Bottle of Coca Cola Company
Sales of refillable bottles have been widely sold in Latin America, such as Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala, and Panama. Even in that country there is a Universal Bottle scheme. The Universal Bottle Scheme is a bottle product with identical color, shape and size for all types of Coca Cola branded drinks. Then, consumers can buy the Universal Bottle as a deposit. So, when the drink runs out, consumers can buy refill drinks at a discount. This scheme provides an advantage for the Coca Cola company because they can reduce operational costs and reduce consumer costs.
Besides that, in realizing the target of 25% sales of recycled and reusable bottles, the Coca Cola Company is also collaborating with Carrefour. This is because Carrefour is a large retailer that offers Loop in Store program. Consumers can also order a variety of products, including Coca-Cola beverages, delivered to their home in customized packaging that is collected, cleaned, refilled and reused or recycled.
Smart Packaging of Coca Cola Company
Apart from that, the Coca Cola Company has also proposed using smart packaging by providing bottle containers with microchips for Coca Cola Freestyle machines in certain places. This technology is a collaboration with the University of Reading. So that the trial practice is carry out in the campus environment and certain places. For example, in an amusement park, campus, or on a cruise ship.
This technology allows consumers to use the same bottle in buying drinks. They can also make touchless payments (this is important especially during a pandemic). Lastly, they can also save on buying drinks later. Information data from packaging can also find information on the most popular drinks and how many times the bottle has been used.
Recycle Program of Coca Cola PET Bottle
In fact, the Coca Cola Company also has a PET bottle recycling program. Those who cooperate with BanQu. BanQu is a waste management company in South Africa. They utilizes blockchain technology for tracking and tracing recycled materials along the supply chain. As a result they have been able to recycle more than a thousand tonnes.
In addition, Coca Cola is also working with Burger King and TerraCycle to reduce single-use packaging waste in America. There, they offer solutions in the form of reusable food containers and beverage cups.
Conclusion
Ben Jordan, Senior Director of Packaging and Climate at The Coca-Cola Company said that reusable packaging is an effective way to reduce waste, use few resources and reduce carbon footprint as part of efforts to realize a circular economy.