INDIA – Coca-Cola India has advanced its commitment to environmental sustainability by launching 100 percent recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) bottles in an Affordable Small Sparkling Package (ASSP) format.
This new initiative is being rolled out in the Indian state of Odisha, marking a significant step towards plastic circularity.
Led by Coca-Cola’s bottling partner, Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (HCCB), the introduction of 250ml ASSP bottles aligns with the company’s broader environmental goals.
These bottles are designed to be lightweight, contributing to a 36 percent reduction in emissions compared to traditional virgin PET packaging.
The switch from virgin PET to recycled PET in ASSP results in an overall 66 percent decrease in the carbon footprint compared to non-ASSP packaging using virgin PET.
Alok Sharma, Executive Director of Supply Chain at HCCB, emphasized the importance of this initiative.
“The introduction of recycled PET in ASSP is a crucial step towards plastic circularity, emphasizing a substantial reduction in the overall carbon footprint. This initiative aligns with our broader vision to scale up sustainable practices and lead the way in shaping a greener future for the beverage industry in India,” Sharma stated.
Enrique Ackermann, Vice President of Technical Innovation and Supply Chain at Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia, reinforced the company’s commitment to sustainability.
“Our efforts at expanding rPET in India are a testimony to our commitment to increasing the availability of high-quality, food-grade, recycled plastic for consumers in India. With these eco-friendly bottles we seek to drive a circular economy for packaging, reduce waste and carbon emissions, bringing us closer to the World Without Waste goal of making bottles with 50 percent recycled content by 2030,” Ackermann said.
The Coca-Cola Company has already introduced 100% rPET bottles in over 40 markets globally. Through its World Without Waste initiative, the company aims to collect and recycle a bottle or can for each one it sells by 2030, and to make all its packaging recyclable by 2025.
In January, Coca-Cola India and Reliance Retail launched a new PET collection and recycling initiative.
Earlier this year, HCCB’s bottling plant in the Bidadi Industrial Area of Ramanagara district in Karnataka was certified as carbon neutral, achieving this milestone according to the international standard PAS 2060.
The facility has significantly reduced its carbon footprint by sourcing over 90 percent of its power from renewable energy since 2020.
In 2021, The Coca-Cola Company committed to a 25 percent absolute reduction in carbon emissions from its 2015 baseline and aims to achieve Net Zero GHG emissions by 2050 across its global operations.
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