New York (awp/afp) – Coca-Cola, 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 many environmental defenders.
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. beverage or Coca-Cola beverage distributors,” according to a statement released Thursday.
Reusable or returnable packaging accounted for approximately 16% of the company’s 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.
The #Breakfreefromplastics coalition has, despite these efforts, still awarded Coca-Cola the title of “worst plastic polluter in the world” for the fourth consecutive year in its latest report.
In a tweet on Friday, the organization hailed the multinational company’s latest initiative as “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,” adds the coalition.
It was a “long-awaited” measure, underlined the NGO Greenpeace, calling on other companies to follow the example. Coca-Cola could also “double its commitment to 50% reusables by 2030,” the association suggested in a statement.
The organization As You Sow, which tabled a resolution for the next general meeting of Coca-Cola shareholders calling for stronger objectives in terms of reusable packaging, also said it was “satisfied” with the proposal.
“This action can significantly reduce the amount of single-use plastic bottles, many of which end up polluting the oceans,” the organization noted in a statement.
She will still study the announcement in more detail before deciding whether or not to withdraw her resolution.
“Coca-Cola has a history littered with big announcements and broken promises,” Steve Hyndside of Britain’s City to Sea also tweeted on Friday. “The test will be whether or not we see a reduction in their single-use plastic bottles that contribute to plastic pollution,” he added.
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