Coca-Cola rewards recycling with e-scooter rides as sip-sized rPET bottles launch US-wide

25 Aug 2021 --- Coca-Cola is partnering with Lime, a leading shared electric vehicle service, to reward consumer recycling. The move marks the US-wide availability of Coca-Cola’s 100 percent recycled PET (rPET) sip-sized bottles. 

The companies are offering more than 40,000 free bike or e-scooter rides to people who purchase and pledge online to recycle their 13.2 oz rPET Coca-Cola bottles.

Consumers who purchase the sip-sized Coca-Cola bottle from convenience stores can pledge to recycle by visiting CokePlayToWin.com/endlesslyrefreshing. They will then receive a promo code via email – available on a first-come, first-serve basis – redeemable for a free, 10-minute bike or e-scooter ride through the Lime app.

The pledge reads: “I pledge to recycle empty plastic bottles and aluminum cans. I pledge to learn what materials can and cannot be recycled in my community and lead by example by recycling in the places where I live, work and play. In addition to recycling, I pledge to increase my use of zero-emission transportation like biking and walking.”

This initiative, along with the transition to the 100 percent rPET packaging (not including the bottle’s cap or label) across the Coca-Cola trademark portfolio, reduces the company’s virgin plastic use by more than 20 percent across its North American portfolio compared to 2018.

Using internal company tools and analyses, Coca-Cola expects to achieve a 10,000 metric ton reduction in GHG emissions annually – the equivalent of taking 2,120 cars off the road for one year.Coca-Cola and Lime are offering more than 40,000 e-scooter rides to people who pledge to recycle.

“Recycle Me Again” messaging
Each rPET bottle will feature a “Recycle Me Again” message on the label to encourage people to take action and recycle their bottles in line with the circular economy. 

“We want to inspire everyone to join us in reducing waste, so we’re encouraging people to recycle their bottles and cans with the largest on-package messaging effort ever by Coca-Cola,” a company spokesperson tells PackagingInsights.

“The goal is for consumers to recycle these recyclable bottles they can be used again and again as raw material for more new bottles, supporting closed-loop recycling systems and circular economies for PET.”

“This message will also reach consumers through billboards, radio ads, and in-store marketing materials.”

Targeting Gen Z consumers
The Lime partnership comes as consumer demand for micromobility has skyrocketed, specifically among Gen Z. Younger consumers expect their use of alternative transport to increase in the future, compared to pre-pandemic transportation.

Lime makes zero-emission modes of transportation more accessible to those hoping to reduce their environmental impact.

“With sustainability so central to Lime’s core values, we’re thrilled to partner with Coca-Cola to encourage recycling of its new bottle made from 100 percent recycled materials,” comments Sara Lannin, head of global business development and partnerships at Lime.

“Contributing to a healthier planet requires us all to live more sustainably, whether doing more to recycle or replacing car trips with light electric vehicles.”Coca-Cola’s sip-sized rPET bottles are now available across the US.

Coca-Cola’s sustainability strides
Coca-Cola’s World Without Waste environmental sustainability strategy dictates that Coca-Cola will make its packaging 100 percent recyclable by 2025, aim to collect and recycle a bottle or can for every one it sells by 2030, and use 50 percent recycled material in its bottles and cans by 2030.

Elsewhere in the world, Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company (HBC) Ireland and Northern Ireland is partnering with Graphic Packaging on new paperboard solutions for all multipack can configurations.

Meanwhile, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP), Pact Group, Cleanaway and Asahi Beverages recently signed a memorandum of understanding, forming a joint venture to build and operate a new PET recycling facility in Australia.

CCEP, the world’s largest independent Coca-Cola bottler, is also trialing a self-service drinks dispensing system in partnership with Innovative Tap Solutions to reduce its single-use packaging in Spain.

In September, Coca-Cola Great Britain announced it will use 100 percent rPET in all on-the-go bottles across its entire range starting this September. The move includes Coca-Cola Original Taste, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Dr Pepper and Lilt.

By Joshua Poole