Taking a major step to support a circular economy, Coca-Cola launched rPET in pack sizes of 250 ml and 750 ml across several markets in India
After being the first company in India to launch a one-litre bottle made from 100 per cent recycled PET (rPET) for its packaged drinking water brand Kinley, Coca-Cola India is taking another meaningful step towards creating a circular economy and has announced the launch of Coca-Cola® in rPET in pack sizes of 250 ml and 750 ml. These rPET bottles are being manufactured by Coca-Cola bottling partners – Moon Beverages Ltd., and SLMG Beverages Ltd..
The rPET bottles expansion showcases Coca-Cola India’s transformative journey towards building a sustainable and greener future for all. The bottles made from 100 per cent food-grade rPET (excluding caps and labels) have an on-pack call to action ‘Recycle Me Again’ message and will also drive consumer awareness with a “100 per cent recycled PET bottle” displayed on the pack.
Sanjeev Agarwal, Chairman, of Moon Beverages Limited (part of MMG Group), commended the rPET launch stating, “PET plastic bottles have value beyond their first life. Our new bottles made with food-grade rPET are recyclable and can become another bottle giving it another life. Recycled PET is a big move in the right direction to embrace plastic circularity in India.”
These rPET bottles are crafted from food-grade recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The plastic is recycled as per the technologies approved by the US FDA and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for food-grade recycled material and repurposed into new PET bottles, reducing the need for virgin plastic for producing PET Bottles.
On the launch of Coca-Cola® in rPET, Paritosh Ladhani, Managing Director, SLMG Beverages Limited stated, “We produced the first bottle of Coca-Cola in India and are proud to be amongst the first bottlers to produce the rPET variant. We are committed to sustainability and SLMG is enthused to drive meaningful change and build a sustainable future.”
Enrique Ackermann, Vice President of Technical and Innovation, at Coca-Cola India, and Southwest Asia, said, “We seek to drive a circular economy for our packaging in order to reduce waste and carbon emissions. We’re working to increase recycled content in our packaging, expand our use of refillable bottles, and collect packaging for recycling through our World Without Waste initiative. We also do research for new solutions for packaging. This expansion by Moon Beverages and SLMG Beverages underscores Coca-Cola India’s steadfast commitment to sustainability and its dedication to forging a more sustainable future.”