In a world where sustainability is the buzzword of the century, it’s not just beer brands that are stepping up to the plate. The soft drink giants are making their mark too, and Coca-Cola has just unveiled a groundbreaking change in their packaging strategy.
Say goodbye to those pesky plastic rings around multipacks, and say hello to an eco-friendly alternative – paperboard. While the beer industry has been making strides with paper can toppers, the soda realm has joined the mission to reduce single-use plastic waste.
Coca-Cola, in partnership with their bottler, Liberty, has introduced a novel paperboard packaging system. They’ve teamed up with Graphic Packaging International, utilizing the innovative KeelClip format – the very same approach embraced by Bud Light. With Liberty’s headquarters situated in Philadelphia, the debut of this planet-friendly packaging will initially grace the Pennsylvania market.
But this isn’t the first encounter the European market has had with KeelClips. In 2019, Coca-Cola introduced this innovative packaging solution to the delight of eco-conscious consumers across the continent.
Paul Mulligan, co-owner of Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages, expressed his excitement about this pioneering packaging system’s adoption in the United States. He highlighted the importance of collaboration between bottlers and packaging producers, emphasizing that the most significant changes to reduce plastic waste stem from such partnerships. Liberty looks forward to a long-lasting collaboration with Graphic Packaging to bring sustainable packaging to local communities.
While this marks a significant step in the right direction for the beverage giant, there’s still a long journey ahead towards achieving truly sustainable packaging. The question remains: Can Coca-Cola make a substantial impact on the number of single-use plastic bottles they distribute? Only time will tell, but one thing’s for sure – they’re moving in the right direction.