The Philippines branch of global beverage company Coca-Cola has expanded its range of 100% recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) bottles, except for caps and labels. These are available for Coca-Cola original in 190 milliliters and 390 milliliters, as well as Wilkins Pure in 500 milliliters, joining Spite 500 milliliters which was announced in 2019.
This comes after Coca-Cola and Indorama Ventures’ bottle-to-bottle recycling facility began operations in October. The facility can process 30,000 metric tons of plastic annually, equivalent to almost two billion plastic bottles. It has an output of 16,000 metric tons of plastic a year of rPET resin.
According to the company, each bottle maintains the high-quality standards expected by consumers and complies with local regulations alongside Coca-Cola’s strict global standards for food-grade rPET packaging.
Additionally, the company has launched ‘May Ikabobote Pa’ — a new consumer engagement initiative to inform and engage users about recycling their empty plastic bottles. Coca-Cola and Wilkins Pure rPET bottles now have a call to action in the form of a “Recycle Me Again” message on their labels.
A QR code leading to information about the recycling program is also included on each bottle’s label.
“In line with our commitment to helping build a circular economy in the country, we are working to offer innovative packaging design, expand collection and recycling programs, and forge strategic alliances with stakeholders — including government agencies, industry partners, and local organizations,” said Tony del Rosario, president of Coca-Cola Philippines.
Combating plastic waste
Coca-Cola was named the world’s top plastic polluter for the fifth year in a row after its products were most commonly found by volunteers and researchers. The company has been taking large strides to combat this, ramping up efforts to include recycled content.
In the Philippines, Coca-Cola has established over 2,800 recycling drop-off points, with over 60 partners across three island groups. The company has introduced a map for users to find their nearest collection drop-off point.
Coca-Cola Philippines has further launched more than 40 grassroots partnerships to support the “informal collection sector”, which are operational across 36 cities and municipalities. This is detailed in its World Without Waste report.
“This is a moment for all of us to accelerate the work, the progress, and the partnership towards a circular economy in the Philippines,” said del Rosario. “And we at Coca‑Cola are fiercely committed to do just this.”
