Coca-Cola, one of the world’s biggest beverage companies, sells a staggering 1.9 billion servings of its drinks daily across the globe. This translates to around 13 billion empty cans and plastic bottles every week, most of which end up in either recycling bins or, unfortunately, the trash.
Coca-Cola has stated that 90% of its packaging is currently recyclable, with a goal of reaching 100% by 2025. Additionally, the company aims to produce its packaging with 50% recycled materials by 2030.
These goals are part of Coca-Cola’s “World Without Waste” initiative, launched in February 2022. While these targets were initially seen as groundbreaking, the environmental group Oceana believes Coca-Cola has not been making enough progress.
Oceana Challenges Coca-Cola on Sustainability
On Wednesday, Oceana, a nonprofit organization focused on ocean conservation, issued an open letter to Coca-Cola. The letter urged the company to be more transparent about its plans to achieve its ambitious sustainability goals by 2030. While Coca-Cola has made some strides, Oceana claims the company is lagging behind.
In its latest sustainability report, Coca-Cola disclosed that 14% of its products in 2023 were packaged in reusable containers. However, this percentage has not increased since 2022 and has actually dropped from 16% in 2020.
Oceana is concerned that Coca-Cola is not on track to meet its reuse goals and is pushing the company to be more accountable.
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Coca-Cola Faces Increased Pressure
Coca-Cola has made some efforts to reduce plastic waste. For example, earlier this year, the company experimented with label-free Sprite bottles in an attempt to cut down on non-recyclable materials. Despite this, Oceana and other environmental groups believe these measures are not enough.
Matt Littlejohn, Senior Vice President of Oceana, stressed in the open letter that Coca-Cola’s recent environmental report indicates the company is falling short of its promises. Littlejohn stated, “The numbers in the company’s recent ‘Environmental Update’ make it clear — Coca-Cola is not on track to meet its reuse goal, which is terrible news for the oceans. More reusable packaging means less single-use plastic.”
Oceana and other environmental groups argue that Coca-Cola’s reuse target is crucial for reducing the volume of plastic that ends up in the ocean, harming marine life and ecosystems.
Coca-Cola Named a Top Plastic Polluter
Coca-Cola’s environmental record is under scrutiny, especially in light of findings from the 2023 Break Free From Plastic brand audit. This report has been monitoring global plastic pollution since 2018 and consistently ranks Coca-Cola, along with companies like PepsiCo and Nestlé, as one of the world’s worst plastic polluters. In fact, Coca-Cola has held the top spot on this list multiple times, raising concerns about the company’s impact on the environment.
Plastic waste is a significant global issue. Once plastic is produced, it takes centuries to break down, during which time it causes substantial harm to the environment. According to an April 2024 report published by Science Advances, plastic waste is linked to fossil fuel extraction and contributes to climate change.
The report states that plastic production releases harmful chemicals and byproducts into the environment throughout its lifecycle.
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Oceana Urges Coca-Cola To Take Action
Oceana is not letting Coca-Cola off the hook. The environmental group is calling on Coca-Cola to honor its 2030 commitments and implement more reusable packaging. While the company has made some steps towards its sustainability goals, Oceana believes more aggressive action is needed to protect the environment, particularly the oceans.
Littlejohn’s letter emphasizes the critical need for Coca-Cola to ramp up its efforts, saying, “Coca-Cola’s failure to increase the use of reusable packaging is contributing to the plastic pollution crisis.” He added that the company’s inaction is not just bad for the planet, but also undermines its own environmental commitments.
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The Road Ahead For Coca-Cola’s Packaging Goals
Coca-Cola’s World Without Waste initiative was intended to set a high standard for the beverage industry, but it is clear that the company is facing increasing pressure from environmental groups to meet its goals. With global plastic waste continuing to grow, Coca-Cola’s efforts to reduce single-use plastics could have a significant impact if the company follows through on its promises.
As 2025 approaches, Coca-Cola will need to accelerate its progress to reach 100% recyclable packaging. Meeting these targets is not just about corporate responsibility; it’s about addressing a global plastic crisis that affects humans, animals, and the environment.
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