Coca‑Cola Oceania and Coca‑Cola Europacific Partners Fiji announce major commitment to step up use of recycled plastic
Publication Date: 5/9/2022
Suva, 10 May 2022: Coca‑Cola Oceania and local bottling partner Coca‑Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) Fiji today announced a major new step to increase the volume of recycled plastic in their bottles as part of Coca‑Cola's global commitment to help support sustainable packaging solutions.
The companies jointly announced that plastic PET bottles, smaller than one litre, are now made from 100% recycled plastic*. The brands are Coca‑Cola, Sprite, Fanta, POWERADE, Minute Maid and Schweppes.
This means more than half the bottles in their portfolio of beverage brands in Fiji are now made from 100% recycled plastic.
CCEP Fiji General Manager Roger Hare says he is extremely proud to be making this significant announcement.
“Packaging waste is undoubtedly a major challenge and it’s also a solvable one if we take action. This move to substantially increase the use of recycled plastic in our packaging means we will avoid using over 300 tonnes of virgin plastic in our bottles compared to 2021. That’s great news for our environment and also for the recycling industry.
“Our plastic bottles have intrinsic value and we need to treat them this way. This means helping to collect and recycle all the plastic bottles we bring to the market so that they can be used again and again, and we can further reduce our overall use of new plastic.”
CCEP Fiji has operated the Mission Pacific PET bottle and can collection scheme since 1999, in partnership with Fiji Water and Motibhai. Collectors are paid a collection refund for returned bottles and cans in three locations across Fiji.
“We’re encouraging everyone to recycle their plastic bottles so we can collect, process and help to recycle them,” said Hare.
Jane Bennett, Coca‑Cola Oceania Franchise Manager for the Pacific Islands, says the initiative is part of Coca‑Cola’s international efforts to reduce its impact on the environment and encourage sustainable practices across all countries where it operates.
In 2021, Coca‑Cola also became a founding signatory to the Australia New Zealand Pacific Plastics Pact.
“The pact allows us to make even greater progress in Fiji and across the Pacific Islands collecting, recycling and reusing plastic, working collaboratively with partners across the private and public sector. It aligns with our goals to use less new plastic and collect and recycle 100% of our bottles so the plastic can be reused,” she says.
To learn more, visit www.cocacolaep.com/fj/ and www.coca-cola.com.
*Excluding caps and labels.
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About The Coca‑Cola Company:
The Coca‑Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a total beverage company, offering over 500 brands in more than 200 countries. Our portfolio in Fiji includes Coca‑Cola, Coca‑Cola Zero Sugar, Sprite, Fanta, Minute Maid, Schweppes and POWERADE. We’re constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We’re also working to reduce our environmental impact by replenishing water and promoting recycling. With our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people, bringing economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at www.coca-cola.com.
About Coca‑Cola Europacific Partners:
Coca‑Cola Europacific Partners is one of the leading consumer goods companies in the world. We make, move and sell some the world’s most loved brands – serving 600 million consumers and helping 1.75 million customers across 29 countries grow. We combine the strength and scale of a large, multi-national business with an expert, local knowledge of the customers we serve and communities we support. Having access to millions of consumers through more than 15,000 active customers, we are committed to leading through innovation, building a sustainable future and delivering long-term value to shareholders.
Coca‑Cola Europacific Partners is listed on Euronext Amsterdam, the New York Stock Exchange, London Stock Exchange and on the Spanish Stock Exchanges, trading under the symbol CCEP. For more information about CCEP, please visit www.cocacolaep.com and follow CCEP on Twitter at @CCEP.
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