With the support of Hyderabad-based ALPLA, Coca-Cola India has launched a new bottle that it claims is made from 100% recycled PET (rPET) and is the first time that a 100% rPET bottle has been used in India for food or drinks. By delivering the rPET preforms, ALPLA’s activities aim to support Coca-Cola’s global goal of using at least 50% recycled material in all packaging by 2030. Currently, 90% of the company’s packaging is recyclable and 15% of PET used is recycled globally.
The new rPET bottle was launched for the packaged drinking water brand Kinley and is currently available in one-liter bottles. The company claims that the bottles are made entirely from recycled food-grade plastic, which is a significant milestone for ALPLA and Coca-Cola in India in their joint efforts to create a circular economy. This step was only possible after the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) approved the use of recycled PET in food packaging, subject to compliance with its guidelines, after a thorough review of food safety.
Enrique Ackermann, vice president, technical and innovation, Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia, said, “Aligned with our vision of creating a World Without Waste, we are constantly looking for ways to reduce our environmental footprint and contribute towards creating a circular economy. We are proud to be the first beverage company in India to offer our consumers a sustainable choice of packaging, by launching Kinley bottles made from 100% recycled PET. Our new bottles made with food-grade rPET have value beyond their initial use, as they are fully recyclable and can be repurposed into new bottles. This is also an endeavor on our part to complement the Government of India’s ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ (which translates to Clean India Mission).”
Dr SB Rammohan, managing director, Sri Sarvaraya Sugars, bottling partner of Coca-Cola in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana said, “This move towards using recycled PET in packaging, aligns with our government’s vision of sustainable plastic use, and we are proud to be associated with the Coca-Cola System in India as the first movers in this sustainability initiative.”
Utsav Dixit, head of sustainability at ALPLA India, said, “In addition to enabling Coca-Cola’s vision of creating a World Without Waste, the launch is aligned with ALPLA’s Global Sustainability targets. In 2018, ALPLA, as a partner of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, signed a Global Commitment. Our mission by 2025 is to produce 100% recyclable packaging with 25% recycled content on average, and this launch is a big step in that direction in India. We are proud to be associated with Coca-Cola and will continue to do everything it takes to enable a World Without Waste.”