Alexei Volkov
Coca-Cola is one of the world's largest producers of plastic waste, with the company producing about three million tons of plastic packaging annually. The company has faced criticism for its stance on single-use plastic bottles, with environmental campaigners arguing that many Coke bottles will still end up in landfills and pollute the oceans. While Coca-Cola has pledged to increase recycled plastic use and collection, it has also abandoned its goals to increase reusable packaging and reduce virgin plastic use. The company has stated that it will continue to sell drinks in plastic bottles, citing consumer demand for lightweight, resealable packaging.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Coca-Cola's annual plastic packaging production | 3 million tons (2019) |
| 3.43 million metric tons (2022) | |
| Coca-Cola's plastic packaging production per minute | 200,000 bottles |
| Coca-Cola's plastic recycling goal by 2030 | 50% recycled material in packaging |
| Coca-Cola's plastic collection goal by 2030 | Collect and recycle as many bottles or cans it sells globally |
| Coca-Cola's plastic reduction goal by 2030 | 25% of beverages sold in refillable/returnable bottles or fountain dispensers with reusable packaging |
| Coca-Cola's plastic reduction goal by 2035 | 30% to 35% recycled plastic use globally |
| Coca-Cola's plastic collection goal by 2035 | Collect 70% to 75% of the equivalent number of bottles and cans introduced into the market annually |
| Coca-Cola's ranking in global plastic pollution | Ranked first in 2019 and 2024 |
| Coca-Cola's contribution to global plastic pollution | 11% of total branded plastic pollution |
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What You'll Learn
Coca-Cola's plastic production volume
Coca-Cola is one of the biggest producers of plastic waste in the world. In 2019, the company revealed that it produces 3 million tonnes of plastic packaging annually, which is about 200,000 bottles per minute. Coca-Cola was ranked the world's top plastic-polluting corporation in an audit by the campaign group Break Free from Plastic.
Despite pledging to increase the use of recycled plastic, Coca-Cola has abandoned its goals to reduce virgin plastic use and increase reusable packaging. In 2024, the company announced that by 2035, it would seek to increase "recycled plastic use to 30% to 35% globally". However, this will not reduce the company's overall plastic use, and it is estimated that Coca-Cola's new policy will result in billions more single-use plastic bottles and cups being produced.
Coca-Cola has defended its use of single-use plastic, stating that consumers prefer drinks bottled in resealable, lightweight plastic. The company has also emphasised that recycling and switching to alternative materials like aluminium are not cure-alls for the waste generated by single-use products.
In addition to Coca-Cola's plastic production, the company's major bottlers have also reported declines in sales of beverages in reusable packaging. It is estimated that Coca-Cola's reported share is directly tied to the shares of these bottlers. Despite Coca-Cola's pledge to increase the share of refillables, only one major bottler, Coca-Cola Andina, has committed to doing so.
Overall, Coca-Cola's plastic production volume remains high, and while the company has made pledges to increase recycled plastic use, it has also abandoned goals to reduce virgin plastic use and increase reusable packaging. The company's plastic waste continues to contribute significantly to global plastic pollution.
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Coca-Cola's plastic recycling goals
Coca-Cola, one of the biggest producers of plastic waste, has been facing criticism for its stance on single-use plastic packaging. The company has maintained that it will not abandon plastic packaging, citing consumer demand for drinks bottled in resealable, lightweight plastic. Despite this, Coca-Cola has set several plastic recycling goals.
In 2020, Coca-Cola pledged to recycle as many plastic bottles as it uses by 2030. The company also committed to using at least 50% recycled material in its packaging by 2030. However, environmental campaigners argue that many Coke bottles will still go uncollected and end up in landfills.
In 2024, Coca-Cola released a statement ending its goals to increase reusable packaging and reduce virgin plastic use after UN plastic treaty negotiations concluded without consensus. Instead, the company announced a new target of increasing "recycled plastic use to 30% to 35% globally" by 2035. The company also pledged to ensure the collection of 70% to 75% of the equivalent number of bottles and cans introduced into the market annually.
Despite the criticism, Coca-Cola maintains that it is committed to being part of the solution and working towards more sustainable practices. The company's World Without Waste strategy aims to make 100% of its packaging recyclable globally by 2025.
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Coca-Cola's stance on single-use plastic
Coca-Cola has been criticised for its stance on single-use plastic. The company has been ranked as the world's top plastic polluter in multiple audits, including one by the charity Break Free from Plastic in 2019. In 2024, a global study found that Coca-Cola was the largest known contributor to branded plastic waste, with its products accounting for 11% of such waste worldwide.
Despite this, Coca-Cola has defended its use of single-use plastic bottles, stating that consumers still want drinks packaged in plastic. At the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2020, the company's senior vice president, Beatriz Perez, emphasised that Coca-Cola had no plans to abandon plastic packaging. She argued that the company's plastic bottles are popular with customers because they are resealable and lightweight.
Coca-Cola has made some commitments to reduce its environmental impact. By 2030, the company has pledged to use at least 50% recycled material in its packaging and to collect and recycle as many plastic bottles as it sells globally. However, these pledges have been criticised as insufficient, with environmental campaigners arguing that many Coke bottles will still go uncollected and end up in landfills.
In December 2024, following UN plastic treaty negotiations that concluded without consensus, Coca-Cola released a statement ending its goals to increase reusable packaging and reduce virgin plastic use. Instead, the company announced that by 2035, it aims to increase recycled plastic use to 30-35% globally and ensure the collection of 70-75% of the equivalent number of bottles and cans introduced into the market annually. This shift has been met with concern, with organisations like Oceana estimating that Coca-Cola's new policy will result in billions more single-use plastic bottles and cups polluting waterways and seas.
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Coca-Cola's environmental impact
Coca-Cola, one of the biggest producers of plastic waste, has had a significant environmental impact. The company has been criticised for its use of single-use plastic packaging and its contribution to plastic pollution.
In 2019, Coca-Cola admitted to producing about 3 million tonnes of plastic packaging annually, equivalent to approximately 200,000 bottles per minute. The company was ranked the world's top plastic polluter in an audit by the campaign group Break Free from Plastic. In response, Coca-Cola pledged to increase its use of recycled materials and reduce its environmental footprint. Specifically, the company committed to using 50% recycled material in its packaging and collecting and recycling as many bottles or cans as it sells by 2030. Additionally, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo planned to introduce aluminium containers for water to reduce plastic pollution.
However, Coca-Cola has faced backlash for abandoning its goals to increase reusable packaging and reduce virgin plastic use. Despite its previous commitments, the company announced in 2024 that it would only seek to increase "recycled plastic use to 30% to 35% globally" by 2035. This rollback has been criticised for potentially increasing plastic waste and falling short of the company's initial targets.
Coca-Cola's defence of its single-use plastic packaging has sparked controversy. The company has argued that consumers prefer drinks bottled in resealable, lightweight plastic. However, environmental campaigners counter that many Coke bottles will still end up in landfills or as pollution in oceans, rivers, and lakes, contributing to the ingestion of nanoplastic particles. Coca-Cola's position as a leading member of the Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty and one of the top plastic polluters underscores the urgency for more robust action to reduce its environmental impact.
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Coca-Cola's plastic alternatives
Coca-Cola has been ranked as the world's top plastic-polluting corporation in an audit by the campaign group Break Free from Plastic. The company produces about 3 million tons of plastic packaging annually, which is roughly 200,000 bottles per minute.
Despite this, Coca-Cola has stood by its use of single-use plastic bottles, citing consumer demand for drinks bottled in resealable, lightweight plastic. The company's senior vice president, Beatriz Perez, emphasised that Coca-Cola has no plans to abandon plastic packaging, stating that "business won't be in business if we don't accommodate consumers".
However, Coca-Cola has made some commitments to reduce its environmental impact. In 2019, the company announced plans to use 50% recycled material in its packaging by 2030 and to collect and recycle the equivalent of every bottle or can it sells globally by that same year. In addition, Coca-Cola has explored alternatives to plastic bottles through a refillable trial, where consumers can use refillable, micro-chipped bottles to access drinks from strategically placed beverage dispensers.
Despite these efforts, Coca-Cola has faced criticism for abandoning its goals to increase reusable packaging and reduce virgin plastic use. In December 2024, following UN plastic treaty negotiations that concluded without consensus, the company released a statement committing to increase recycled plastic use to 30-35% globally by 2035 and ensure the collection of 70-75% of the equivalent number of bottles and cans introduced into the market annually. This shift in focus away from reusable packaging and towards recycled plastic content has been met with concern by environmental groups, who worry that it will not significantly reduce the company's overall plastic use.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Coca-Cola produces its own plastic bottles and packaging.
Coca-Cola produces about 3 million tons of plastic packaging a year, which is roughly 200,000 bottles per minute.
Coca-Cola has stated that it will not eliminate single-use plastic bottles because consumers still want them. The company has pledged to increase recycled plastic use to 30-35% globally by 2035 and collect 70-75% of the equivalent number of bottles and cans it sells.
Coca-Cola is the largest known contributor of branded plastic waste globally, according to a 2024 study. The company was ranked the world's top plastic polluter in an audit by Break Free from Plastic.
Coca-Cola has explored using aluminum containers for water to reduce plastic pollution. However, the company has stated that it will continue to use plastic packaging for its drinks, citing consumer demand for lightweight and resealable bottles.
