Coca‑Cola Australia and Coca‑Cola Amatil announce a major increase in recycled plastic

14-04-2019

  • Coca‑Cola Amatil in Australia will make 70 per cent of its plastic bottles entirely from recycled plastic by the end of 2019.   
  • The move is part of Coca‑Cola’s global commitment to a World Without Waste and to increase recycled content and make all of its bottles and cans recyclable; and Coca‑Cola Amatil’s commitment to Australia’s 2025 National Packaging Targets on recyclable and recycled materials.   
  • Globally, by 2030, Coca‑Cola is committed to collecting and recycling as many bottles and cans as it sells each year.

Coca‑Cola Australia and Coca‑Cola Amatil today announced a major increase in the use of recycled plastic as part of a global commitment to help solve the world’s packaging problem.

The world’s largest beverage company said 70 per cent of the plastic bottles manufactured for it in Australia will be made entirely from recycled plastic by the end of 2019.

This will double Coca‑Cola Amatil’s use of recycled plastic across its beverage range. It includes all small packages 600ml and under, including brands like Coca‑Cola, Sprite, Fanta, Mount Franklin and Pump 750ml.

Vamsi Mohan Thati, President of Coca‑Cola Australia said, “As Australia’s biggest beverage company, we have a responsibility to help solve the plastic waste crisis.

“That is why we will make 70 per cent of our plastic bottles entirely from recycled plastic by the end of 2019.

“This is a big commitment to recycled plastic – the largest of its kind by a beverage company in Australia – and will significantly reduce the impact of our business on the environment.

“‘Coca‑Cola’s goal is to keep plastic packaging out of our oceans and landfills and instead be used over and over again,” Mr Thati said.

Peter West, Managing Director of Australian Beverages at Coca‑Cola Amatil, said the increase in the use of recycled plastic means the company can avoid using around 16,000 tonnes of virgin plastic each year from 2020.[1]

“We’ve heard the community message loud and clear - that unnecessary packaging is unacceptable and we need to do our part to reduce it nationwide.

“That’s why we’ve taken this step to make recycled plastic the norm in more than two-thirds of our Australian beverage product range.

“It’s the single largest increase in recycled plastic use in our history, and our strongest step forward in reducing packaging waste and the environmental impact of our operations.”

Mr West said Amatil’s increased use of recycled plastic followed initiatives such as the elimination of plastic straws, support for cost-effective well-run container deposit schemes and the company’s support for the 2025 National Packaging Targets.

“Our landmark transition to use 100 per cent recycled plastic in bottles began with Mount Franklin Still Pure Australian Spring Water in 2018[2]. Following extensive research and development, this will now roll out across other brands in bottles 600ml and under, across Coca‑Cola’s soft drink, water and juice products.”

Coca‑Cola Australia and Coca‑Cola Amatil support a number of grassroots initiatives to help collect and recycle beverage containers including CitizenBlue, Keep Australia Beautiful, and Eco Barge Clean Seas.

Both companies support The Coca‑Cola Company’s global goal of reducing waste and by 2030 collecting and recycling as many cans and bottles as it sells each year.

To learn more about this announcement and Coca‑Cola’s sustainable packaging goals and initiatives, visit coca-colajourney.com.au/sustainability.

[¹] ᶜᵒᵐᵖᵃʳᵉᵈ ʷᶦᵗʰ ²⁰¹⁸ ᵇᵃˢᵉˡᶦⁿᵉ

[²] ᴹᵒᵘⁿᵗ ᶠʳᵃⁿᵏˡᶦⁿ ˢᵗᶦˡˡ ³⁵⁰ᵐˡ, ⁴⁰⁰ᵐˡ, ⁵⁰⁰ᵐˡ ᵃⁿᵈ ⁶⁰⁰ᵐˡ ᵇᵒᵗᵗˡᵉˢ ᵃʳᵉ ᵐᵃᵈᵉ ᶠʳᵒᵐ ¹⁰⁰% ʳᵉᶜʸᶜˡᵉᵈ ᵖˡᵃˢᵗᶦᶜ ⁽ᴱˣᶜˡᵘᵈᵉˢ ᴹᵒᵘⁿᵗ ᶠʳᵃⁿᵏˡᶦⁿ ˢᵗᶦˡˡ ᶠˡᵃᵛᵒᵘʳˢ ⁶⁰⁰ᵐˡ & ᴹᵒᵘⁿᵗ ᶠʳᵃⁿᵏˡᶦⁿ ᴸᶦᵍʰᵗˡʸ ˢᵖᵃʳᵏˡᶦⁿᵍ.⁾

- ENDS -

Additional information:

  • By the end of 2019, 70 per cent of Coca‑Cola’s plastic bottles will be made entirely from recycled plastic. This includes products 600ml and under from brands such as Coca‑Cola, Fanta, Fuze Tea as well as 750ml Pump.
  • 100 per cent of bottles and cans across Coca‑Cola Amatil and Coca‑Cola Australia’s portfolio of 25 brands in Australia are recyclable
  • Coca‑Cola has a long history of supporting environmental partners in Australia. During the past two years alone, Coca‑Cola in Australia has invested more than $1 million towards three urgent priorities; cleaning up marine debris, improving access to recycling in public places, and developing innovative solutions to recycle plastic waste.
  • Coca‑Cola Amatil has a 40-year history of operating South Australia’s container deposit scheme, which pays 10 cents for all eligible beverage containers returned for recycling. It also operates the container scheme in the Northern Territory and is involved in the programs in Queensland, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.

Media contacts

Coca‑Cola South Pacific: 
Adam Bell – 0448 302 533
Adam.bell@coca-cola.com

Coca‑Cola Amatil:
Patrick Low – 0447 121 838
Patrick.low@ccamatil.com

About Coca‑Cola South Pacific:  The Coca‑Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a total beverage company, offering over 500 brands in more than 200 countries. Our portfolio in Australia includes Coca‑Cola, Coca‑Cola No Sugar, Fanta, Sprite, Powerade and others. We’re constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. Together with our bottling partner we have made a commitment to reduce sugar across our portfolio by 10% by 2020, as well an industry-wide pledge to reduce sugar across the industry by 20% by 2025. We’re also working to reduce our environmental impact by replenishing water and promoting recycling. With our bottling partners, The Coca‑Cola Company employs more than 700,000 people, bringing economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Coca‑Cola Amatil (Aust) Pty Ltd is the authorised bottler and distributor of The Coca‑Cola Company’s beverage brands in Australia. Coca‑Cola South Pacific Pty Ltd is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of The Coca‑Cola Company and provides marketing, technical and quality services to The Coca‑Cola Company in Australia. Learn more at www.coca-colajourney.com.au and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

About Coca‑Cola Amatil:  Coca‑Cola Amatil is one of the largest bottlers and distributors of ready-to-drink non-alcohol and alcohol beverages, coffee and ready-to-eat food snacks in the Asia Pacific region. Coca‑Cola Amatil is also the authorised bottler and distributor of The Coca‑Cola Company’s beverage brands in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Samoa. Coca‑Cola Amatil directly employs around 12,000 people and indirectly creates thousands more jobs across the supply chain, partnering with key suppliers to bottle, package, sell and distribute its products. With access to more than 270 million potential consumers through more than 950,000 active customers Coca‑Cola Amatil is committed to leading through innovation and building a sustainable future and delivering long-term value to shareholders.

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