NewsCoca-Cola faces backlash over dropped recycling pledge

Coca-Cola faces backlash over dropped recycling pledge

Coca-Cola has been accused by environmental activists of quietly backing away from a promise concerning the recycling of plastic packaging. Activists refer to this as the "masterclass in greenwashing."

Activists criticise Coca-Cola's change of plans regarding packaging recycling.
Activists criticise Coca-Cola's change of plans regarding packaging recycling.
Images source: © Getty Images | Florian Gaertner
Malwina Gadawa

In 2022, the American beverage producer pledged to sell 25% of its drinks in reusable or returnable packaging by 2030.

Coca-Cola criticised for changing plans

The Guardian now reports that Coca-Cola has been accused of quietly backing away from the promise — the company removed a webpage with this commitment prior to the global plastics summit. The new targets include using 35-40% recycled materials by 2035.

Environmental activists are advocating for a shift to reusable packaging as single-use products continue to harm the environment.

Von Hernandez from Break Free from Plastic criticised Coca-Cola for its "masterclass in greenwashing."

He emphasised that the company is unable to fulfil even minimal commitments, which undermines its seriousness in addressing the climate crisis. Coca-Cola has yet to comment on these accusations.

Greenwashing occurs when a company claims to be environmentally conscious but, in reality, does not engage in any meaningful actions for the climate.

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