Packaging and recycling
Packaging plays a vital role in delivering our beverages safely to customers and consumers.
The traditional Coca-Cola refillable glass bottle is an example of a beverage container that is being used over and over again.
In the case of one-way packaging such as PET bottles and Aluminum cans, once the beverage inside has been consumed, the package can become either valuable material for recycling or end up in incineration plants.
We are working to reduce the environmental impacts of our packaging at every stage of its lifecycle. Our integrated approach includes:
Ultimately, we aim to close the recycling loop: turning used packaging into new containers. Coca-Cola HBC Switzerland is a founding member of PRS (Pet Recycling Switzerland), which collects over 81% of all PET bottles from the Swiss market. These bottles are sorted and re-used to make high quality food-level PET granules, which provide the Company with a high-quality and cost-effective supply of recycled material to make new bottles.
For the last 20 years, IGORA has been very active in the collection and recycling of empty aluminium packages. Together with the beverage and aluminium industry, IGORA currently has an annual budget of about 8 million Swiss francs and has reached a recycling rate of 91%.
In addition to minimising waste from our beverage packaging, we are also reducing production waste from our bottling plants.
Reducing packaging
Minimising the weight of packaging we use is one of the most significant ways that we can reduce its environmental impact. In addition to using less material, this helps to reduce the carbon footprint of packaging throughout its lifecycle: from manufacture to transportation to disposal or recycling.
Increasing recycled content
Our beverage containers consist of recyclable materials: PET plastic, aluminium, steel and glass. Since these are among the most widely recycled packaging materials, another way we can reduce the impact of our packaging is to increase the recycled content in them. By using recycled aluminium in cans, for example, we save up to 95% of the energy required when using virgin aluminium.
Our aluminium cans and glass bottles already contain up to 60% recycled content. Including recycled PET plastic in our bottles presents a challenge in terms of availability and cost. Although PET is widely recycled in Switzerland, it is cheaper and easier to channel it into carpet and clothing industries, which need not meet the high quality standards required of food containers.
Promoting recycling
We help set up recycling infrastructure and encourage consumers to recycle their beverage packaging.
We are an active founding member of PRS (PET Recycling Switzerland) and member of IGORA to collect and recycle aluminium cans. In addition, we have supported for many years the Summit Foundation, which raises awareness on the topic of littering during outdoor activities. Campaigns covered winter skiing resorts in the Alps, summer music festivals and various lakeside activities.
To date, Coca-Cola Hellenic has helped set up systems in 20 countries, co-owning 18 recycling and recovery organisations.
Reducing production waste
In addition to minimising waste from our beverage containers in the marketplace, we are increasing recycling and minimising waste in our own bottling plants.
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