Coca-Cola announces major update to iconic product: ‘A strong benchmark’

Coca-Cola’s bottling partner in Hong Kong is making eco-friendly changes to its production efforts.

Swire Coca-Cola announced that it will use locally sourced bottles made from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET), a strong, lightweight and break-resistant plastic that is safe for food and beverages. The company was the first to undertake this initiative, using rPET bottles provided by the New Life Plastics recycling facility instead of importing from abroad.

A South China Morning Post article reported Coca-Cola started its recycled plastic bottle efforts in April 2024, and as of this month, it uses only locally sourced rPET for all 500 milliliter and 1.5 liter PET bottles in Hong Kong, based on to Iris Lee, the brand’s general manager for Hong Kong and Macau.

Samuel Chui Ho-kwong, environmental protection director of the Department of Environmental Protection. quotation “These initiatives not only demonstrate corporate responsibility, but also set a strong reference point for the beverage industry in Hong Kong,” he says.

The Hong Kong government is pushing for more sustainable practices to reduce plastic waste in landfills, going so far as to introduce legislation to hold producers accountable. Per Over 175,000 pounds of plastic beverage bottles are thrown away every day in Hong Kong, SCMP reports.

New Life Plastics has raised awareness about the obstacles to recycling because it obtains its products from social recycling efforts. Per SCMPAlthough the facility can process up to 2 million bottles, it processes fewer than 800,000 bottles per day.

These efforts are vital as concerns grow surrounding the plastic bottle industry. Reducing plastic in our landfills will also minimize the amount of planet-warming gases, such as methane, that these wastelands emit.

While Coca-Cola is making environmentally conscious changes like getting rid of its infamous six-pack rings, it still has a long way to go, considering it’s the world’s No. 1 plastic polluter.

SCMP was done reference In a survey of 1,125 consumers, 80% said sustainability efforts impact their lives purchasing power — a great sign that cyclical brands are gaining popularity.

The Hong Kong government plans to take its efforts to reduce waste and promote recycling habits to the next level through public education, industry collaboration and the development of infrastructure to drive markets.

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