Scott Edwards, sustainability lead at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP), shared insights at the recent Australasian Waste & Recycling Expo (AWRE) on the company’s approach to circular economy and sustainability in packaging. Edwards discussed the company's efforts to reduce materials, increase recycled content, and vertically integrate the plastic supply chain.
At a 'case study' session, Edwards emphasised the company's dedication to sustainable packaging, explaining its long-term focus on circular economy practices. Coca-Cola Europacific Partners has implemented a significant program across its primary packaging portfolio, which includes bottles and cans.
The program focuses on three main pillars: reducing materials, lightweighting, and moving towards right-weighting to meet quality and safety specifications. Edwards said this approach ensures that packaging meets quality and food safety specifications while using the minimum amount of materials.
Another focus for CCEP is increasing the recycled content within its packaging materials. Edwards stated, "For all of our single-serve PET bottles, we have 100 per cent recycled content in those. For our aluminium, last year, we got to about 65 per cent. We were on the roadmap towards 90 per cent."
CCEP also has vertically integrated the plastic supply chain to close the loop on plastic packaging. Edwards explained, "We now take the recycled PET resin from the recycling plants*, bring it back here to Sydney, run it through our preform manufacturing plant and then basically create those bottles again, send them out into the market, and they come back. And basically, we go through the process again and again."
[*CCEP has partnered with Asahi, Cleanaway and Pact Group in a joint venture bottle-to-bottle PET recycling facility called Circular Plastics Australia PET, with two plants operational, one in Albury, NSW and one in Altona North, Victoria]
However, as Edwards pointed out, the harmonisation of container deposit schemes (which provide the feedstock of collected material for the recycling facilities) across different states and territories in Australia presents challenges. To address this, CCEP is working with customers and running public education campaigns to improve understanding and participating in recycling schemes. As a case in point, Edwards referred to a campaign with supermarket retailer Coles during National Recycling Week, aimed at educating the community in redeeming container deposits.
Looking to the future, CCEP is committed to eliminating oil-based virgin materials in its packaging by 2030. Edwards discussed the need to move beyond mechanical recycling, which he says has limitations. "What we've committed to by 2030 is basically having no new plastic. So all the plastic that's out there, we want to close that loop as much as we possibly can," he said.
The company is exploring advanced recycling processes and innovative materials, such as bottles made from chemically recycled materials and CO2 captured from the atmosphere.
Edwards concluded by emphasising the broader impact of these initiatives on reducing carbon emissions. "Just over 50 per cent of our carbon footprint in some way relates to the circular economy. So it’s a big deal. In most businesses, especially in ours, it’s a pretty significant component of our total scope three emissions," he said.
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners' comprehensive approach to sustainable packaging highlights its commitment to leading change in the industry and addressing the environmental challenges associated with plastic waste.
