At the end of February this year, a new Coles Brand water bottle appeared on its shelves.
The lightweight bottle is made from 100% recycled and 100% recyclable PET. That translates to 130 million fewer bottles being made from new plastic every year.
Or, if put end to end, it would be 31,000kms of bottles that are are not going into landfill every year. That is the distance around Australia – twice.
The new bottle was the result of 18 months of collaborative development by Coles, Visy and Schweppes and is being used on all Coles Brand 330ml, 600ml and 1.5ml water bottles.
Coles has therefore applauded its suppliers, Visy and Schweppes, naming the pair Coles Brand Packaging Supplier of the Year, at the Coles Brand Supplier Conference in Melbourne.
“Coles is proud to be the first Australian supermarket - and in fact one of only a few brands globally - to offer a 100% recycled and recyclable bottle. Without the fantastic work of Visy and Schweppes, we wouldn’t have been able to make this happen,” Coles managing director, John Durkan, acknowledged.
The recycled bottles can continue being recycled through normal channels and are still strong and sustainable enough for reuse.
“Operational trials were conducted over many months to perfect material specifications and these packed water bottles were then extensively tested to ensure they are safe and there was no compromise to the customer. We believe we have set a new standard in water bottle material for the Australian market,” Durkan added.
Visy played a role in the technical, labelling and manufacturing developments of the bottle. It also developed a unique labelling system for the promotion of the recycled content.
Visy general manager insights & innovation, Richard Macchiesi, commented, “Visy's recent $40m investment in a recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) facility at Smithfield, NSW has created a range of new opportunities for our business and clients. Working closely with Coles and Schweppes to develop a 100% recycled PET water bottle was an exciting project that brought genuine innovation to the retail shelf.”
Schweppes also launched rPET across all its key brands during the period. Schweppes Australia chief commercial officer, Darren Tendler noted, “This has been a key project that has included a cross-functional team of people from multiple manufacturing sites and internal departments. This strategic three-way partnership has showcased the active commitment all parties have to sustainability and what can be achieved when working collaboratively towards the same goal.”
Winners by category:
- COLES BRAND PACKAGING SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR: Visy and Schweppes, in recognition of their 100% recycled, recyclable lightweight PET bottle for Coles Brand water.
- DAIRY: Devondale Murray Goulburn at Laverton, Victoria and Erskine Park, NSW, in recognition of its ten year partnership with Coles, which has resulted in the $160 million investment in two new factories and improvement in milk quality and shelf life.
- GROCERY: Norco at Lismore, NSW and Labrador, Queensland, in recognition of its innovation and the immense popularity of its Coles Brand peanut butter ice cream.
- FRUIT AND VEG: Tripod at Bacchus Marsh and Bairnsdale, in recognition of its investment in state-of-the-art washing and drying technology to improve quality, reduce damage and increase shelf life of Coles Brand bagged salads.
- BAKERY: Lifestyle Bakery at Adelaide, in recognition of its quality Coles Brand gluten free bread.
- RESPONSIBLE SOURCING: Kailis Brothers and Pacific West, in recognition of their success in converting their entire Coles Brand bagged seafood range to certified sustainable sources.
- BEST LONG-SERVING COLES BRAND: Ross Cosmetics, recognising almost 70 years in Coles with its range of Starlet cosmetics.
