Environmental and consumer rights organisations in the European Union have filed a legal complaint against food and drink giants Coca-Cola, Nestlé and Danone for the alleged use of misleading claims on plastic water bottles.
EU consumer protection organisation Bureau Européen des Unions de Consommateurs (BEUC), supported by ClientEarth and the Environmental Coalition on Standards (ECOS), has raised the issue to the European Commission and the Consumer Protection Cooperation Network against the companies for “suspected widespread infringement of consumer protection law”.
The organisation says that claims commonly found on plastic water bottles are often factually incorrect, and argues such claims suggest that bottles can simply be recycled in an infinite, circular loop. Lawyers say these statements, often reinforced by ‘green’ imagery and generic environmental catchphrases, may mislead consumers into viewing single-use bottles as a ‘sustainable’ choice.
Rosa Pritchard, plastics lawyer at ClientEarth said, “The evidence is clear – plastic water bottles are simply not recycled again and again to become new bottles in Europe. A ‘100 per cent’ recycling rate for bottles is technically not possible and, just because bottles are made with recycled plastic, does not mean they don’t harm people and planet.
“Of course, where waste can be recycled, consumers should keep up their good work. Recycling is less harmful than other disposal methods, such as incineration or landfill. But it is important companies don't portray recycling as a silver bullet to the plastic crisis – instead they need to focus efforts on reducing plastic at source.
“The reality is single use plastic is neither circular nor sustainable. Recycling can never catch up with the sheer volume of plastic produced on our planet. Companies are in a unique position to change how we consume, but currently these claims – which we consider to be misleading – are making it hard for consumers to make good environmental choices.”
In the EU, the recycling rate for plastic bottles is approximately 50 per cent, with only around 30 per cent used to make new bottles. The remainder goes towards products like textiles, which are generally unrecyclable and more likely to end up in landfill or an incinerator, causing pollution and contributing to climate change.
The organisation says these claims also fail to account for the parts of a plastic water bottle, such as lids and labels, which are not made from recycled plastic and are less likely to be effectively recycled, and the potential addition of virgin content during manufacturing.
It alleges the combined effect of these claims risks persuading consumers across Europe that single-use packaging does not harm the environment, distracting attention from the urgent need to reduce plastic production across the globe.
Ursula Pachl, deputy director general of BEUC said, “Using ‘100 per cent recycled/recyclable’ claims or displaying nature images and green visuals that insinuate that plastic is environmentally friendly is misleading consumers. The problem is that there’s no guarantee it will be fully recycled once it’s in the bin. Such claims however can be found on many water bottles sold across Europe. This greenwashing must stop."
Justin Wilkes, executive director at ECOS said, “100 per cent recycled’ and ‘100 per cent recyclable’ plastic bottles are not technically feasible, and such labels can be misleading. We need reliable information on the level of recycled plastics in our bottles. Policymakers must set clear rules on recycled content that are implemented by standardised reliable methodologies, putting an end to the wild west of green claims.”
