In a pioneering move aimed at enhancing recycling efforts, Coca-Cola in the UK has announced a trial initiative to temporarily remove labels from Sprite and Sprite Zero on-the-go bottles. This limited trial is set to test the marketing strength of the renowned beverage brand while emphasizing its commitment to sustainability.

The bottles will feature an embossed logo on the front, while vital nutritional information will be laser-engraved on the back. This innovative approach not only maintains essential consumer information but also simplifies the recycling process by eliminating the need to separate labels from bottles.

Javier Meza, VP Marketing, Coca-Cola Europe, highlighted the significance of this trial, stating, “The trial we are announcing today is a milestone for the industry. It’s the first time these two technologies have been used in a pilot globally, where a Coca-Cola product will appear in a label-less, single-unit bottle sold in-store. Although the design change may sound simple, this is a big shift from a marketing perspective.”

Dusan Stojankic, VP Franchise Operations, GB&I at Coca-Cola Great Britain, reiterated the company’s commitment to sustainability, stating, “We want to help create a future where plastic drink packaging will always have more than one life. Labels contain valuable information for consumers, but with the help of technology, we can now trial other ways to share this information while reducing the amount of packaging we use.”

This initiative builds upon Coca-Cola’s ongoing efforts to minimize packaging waste. In recent years, the company has implemented various design tweaks, including switching Sprite bottles from green to clear plastic to enhance recyclability. Furthermore, Coca-Cola introduced attached caps to their bottles, reducing the chance of littering and invested in innovative designs to cut down on packaging, such as lightweight bottles and minimizing materials in external packaging.

As consumer demand for sustainable products continues to rise, Coca-Cola’s trial of label-less bottles represents a significant step towards fostering a more environmentally conscious approach to packaging and recycling in the beverage industry. With sustainability at the forefront of their agenda, Coca-Cola sets a compelling example for other brands to follow suit in adopting innovative solutions to reduce their environmental footprint.