Coca-Cola, Nestlé, Danone To Change Plastic Bottle Recycling Claims After EU Pressure

Drinks giants Coca-Cola, Nestlé and Danone have agreed to revise recycling claims on their plastic bottles following pressure from the European Union over concerns about misleading environmental messaging.

The European Commission announced the agreement on Thursday, saying the companies had committed to changing some of their wording to ensure consumers receive clearer information about the recycled content of their bottled water products.

The agreement followed complaints lodged by European consumer groups in November 2023, which accused the three companies of using deceptive greenwashing claims on bottled water packaging.

Under the new commitments, the slogan “I am a bottle made from 100% recycled plastic” will be replaced with “This bottle is 100% recycled, excluding cap and label.” The revised wording is intended to clarify that the cap and label are not made from recycled material.

The companies also agreed to replace the label instruction “Recycle me again” with “Recycle me”. According to the EU, the change is designed to prevent consumers from mistakenly believing that a bottle had already been recycled before being used.

The Commission further stated that the companies must ensure their online communications reflect the commitments made under the agreement, extending the changes beyond physical product packaging.

The discussions were coordinated by the European Commission and the Consumer Protection Cooperation Network, which brings together consumer protection authorities from the EU’s 27 member states.

The Commission said Coca-Cola and Nestlé had already implemented some of the commitments, particularly those concerning recycling claims used in digital campaigns. The agreement forms part of wider efforts to tackle greenwashing and ensure environmental claims made by businesses are clear and accurate.