Coca-Cola’s Sprite Goes Label-Less to Simplify Recycling Via Packaging Pilot
Coca-Cola is piloting a new UK-based packaging initiative, temporarily going label-less for its Sprite brand in order to boost recycling efforts.
The company is replacing traditional labels on its Sprite and Sprite Zero 500ml rPET bottles with an embossed logo on the front of the pack and product information laser-engraved on the back. The trial will take place across eight Tesco Express Stores in Brighton and Hove, Bristol, London, and Manchester from January to March.
Javier Meza, VP of marketing for Coca‑Cola Europe, said the trial is a milestone for the industry, bringing together technologies that allow a sustainable label-less, single-unit bottle to be sold in-store.
“Although the design change may sound simple, this is a big shift from a marketing perspective,” said Meza. “This trial could contribute to longer-term changes to the way brands communicate with their consumers.”
- More recycling efforts from the beverage industry: PepsiCo To Eliminate Plastic Bottle Rings
A History of Sustainable Packaging
Coca-Cola has already made several changes to its packaging to ensure consumers can recycle bottles; however, the company is looking to continue to simplify the process.
Existing bottle labels are fully recyclable, but by removing the labels altogether, said the company, it removes the need to separate them from the bottles during the recycling process — and also cuts down on required packaging materials overall.
Other recent changes to recyclable packaging include changing Sprite bottles from green to clear plastic to improve efforts, as well as introducing caps attached to bottles to reduce the potential for littering.
Dusan Stojankic, VP of franchise operations, GB&I at Coca‑Cola Great Britain, said that while labels contain valuable information for consumers, technology can help share this data in other ways while reducing the amount of packaging used.
“Going label-less might seem like a small step, but it is one of several ways we are exploring making recycling easier, minimizing waste, and minimizing the impact of our packaging on the environment,” said Stojankic. “We want to help create a future where plastic drink packaging will always have more than one life.”
Packaging Innovation in the CPG Space
Coca-Cola is among a slew of CPG companies with sustainable packaging in mind. According to Gartner, 20% of organizations are focus on reducing their packaging’s carbon footprint between 2023 and 2026.
Last June, Pernod Ricard’s Absolut Vodka launched a three-month test offering single-mold paper-based bottles commercially within the U.K. Additionally, Nestle piloted paper-wrapped KitKat chocolate bars in select stores across Australia, and Kraft Heinz tested a paper-based bottle made from sustainably sourced wood pulp for its ketchup bottle.
