Coca-Cola and Nestle Adjust Plastic Claims Amid EU Pressure

Coca-Cola, Nestle (NGX: NESTLE), and Danone have agreed to change their recycling claims on plastic bottles in response to pressure from the European Commission. This decision follows accusations from European consumer groups in November 2023, which stated that the companies were using deceptive greenwashing claims on bottled water products.

The firms will replace the slogan “I am a bottle made from 100% recycled plastic” with “This bottle is 100% recycled, excluding cap and label” to clarify that the cap and label are not made from recycled materials. Additionally, the companies will modify their labels to state “Recycle me” instead of “Recycle me again” to prevent consumers from having the false impression that the bottle had been recycled previously.

The companies are also required to ensure that their online communications reflect these commitments. The European Commission coordinated discussions between the companies and the Consumer Protection Cooperation Network, which includes authorities from the EU's 27 member states.

Coca-Cola and Nestle have already begun implementing some of these commitments, particularly regarding digital campaign recycling claims.