Oceana, a non-profit ocean conservation organisation, has urged Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP), the largest bottler of Coca-Cola products, to commit to a substantial increase in reusable packaging.
This call to action (CTA) coincides with CCEP's annual shareholder meeting in London, UK, today (22 May).
In 2022, The Coca-Cola Company pledged to achieve 25% reusable packaging across the business by 2030.
However, CCEP has reportedly not yet made a formal similar commitment so far.
CCEP reported sales equating to 37 billion 500ml bottles of Coca-Cola in 2023.
According to Oceana, a single reusable bottle can be used up to 50 times and a reusable cup more than 100 times.
Each reuse negates the need for a single-use container, which is instrumental in reducing plastic waste.
In 2022, The Coca-Cola Company reported that 93% of its refillable bottles were collected for reuse, in stark contrast to the 58% of single-use plastic bottles that were recycled.
Oceana senior vice-president Matt Littlejohn said: “Plastic is devastating our oceans and Coca-Cola is the world’s top plastic polluter according to survey results published by the Break Free From Plastic Movement.
“In order for Coca-Cola to meet its reusable commitment, it needs support from its bottlers, especially CCEP. If The Coca-Cola Company meets its commitment, it could, by 2030, eliminate the cumulative equivalent of over 100 billion 500ml single-use plastic bottles and cups and prevent up to 14.7 billion of these plastic containers from entering our waterways and seas.”
In a bid to amplify its message, Oceana has dispatched a letter to CCEP and plans to distribute it to shareholders, staff, and executives at the annual meeting.
The organisation is also leveraging the Financial Times, chalk sidewalk advertisements, and mobile billboards to ensure the message reaches these shareholders and employees.
In November last year, Oceana called on The Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo to increase their respective use of reusable packaging and reduce single-use plastic.
