Coca-Cola Pilots Paper-Based Carriers in Europe to Slash Plastic Use by 200 Tons a Year

HBC Coca-Cola for soft drink multipacks, Austria, is exploring a new packaging approach that substitutes a recyclable corrugated paper handle for plastic shrink wrap for the Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite, and Mezzo Mix brands. It is anticipated that the new design, which was created in collaboration with DS Smith and Krones, will eliminate about 200 tonnes of plastic from use annually. Although it can be modified for different sizes, the corrugated DS Smith Lift Up solution is designed for six-packs of 1.5-litre PET bottles.

Its soft-grip cardboard handle and paper band make it easier for customers to carry their drinks. The packaging is 100% recyclable at the end of its useful life and employs the least amount of material feasible, according to the firms. The concept replaces conventional plastic with a recyclable paper-and-cardboard handle that wraps around the bottles, as described by Packaging Europe and highlighted by ‘The Cool Down’, a range of Austrian government initiatives and measures designed to mitigate the effects of heatwaves and climate change.

Coca-Cola’s Move Towards Sustainability

Reducing plastic use is crucial for the planet's future because plastic trash is one of the largest pollutants in the world. The UN Environment Programme estimates that plastic manufacturing will triple by 2060 after rising sharply in recent decades. In a press release, DS Smith President Stefano Rossi stated that the company is pleased to collaborate on this creative packaging solution that eliminates needless waste and single-use plastic.

Because the DS Smith Lift Up concept was created utilising DS Smith's Circular Design Metrics technique, it employs the least amount of material feasible, has a little environmental impact, and looks great in stores and supermarkets.

UN Urges Brands to Curb Plastic Usage

Twenty-three percent of the 430 million plastic tonnes produced annually worldwide, according to the UN, are only used briefly. According to the analysis, more than 2,000 garbage trucks' worth of plastic waste will end up in our rivers, lakes, and oceans. If nothing is done, plastic pollution—which is mostly caused by disposable packaging—is expected to quadruple by 2060.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has backed global shifts towards circular economy models, which are directly supported by the switch to recyclable paper and cardboard alternatives, such as the new corrugated handle for six-packs. Reducing the need for plastic packaging could lessen the amount of plastic that leaks into the ocean, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and lessen the health hazards that come with plastic pollution.