Nestlé Waters’ Poland Spring puts traceable and sustainable water bottles in consumers’ hands

26 Nov 2019 --- Understanding consumers’ desire for product traceability and transparency, Nestlé Waters North America (NWNA) has introduced code tracking to its Poland Spring plastic bottle labels to create an interactive drinking experience. After scanning a QR code found on Poland Spring water bottles, consumers can track the journey of their spring water and learn how best to recycle the bottle when empty. Entering a 14-digit code on the bottle allows consumers to track that specific bottle.

“The sustainability of NWNA’s products isn’t an afterthought when it comes to design – it’s something the company embeds in every stage of its product development. This includes designing the label so that consumers can find the information they need about the water they are drinking and understand what to do with the bottle once it is empty. NWNA’s bottles were designed to be recycled and this platform gives the company the opportunity to remind consumers to help do their part and recycle,” a spokesperson from NWNA tells PackagingInsights. 

Poland Spring water bottle. By scanning the QR code on the Poland Spring label, consumers can learn about the bottled water's ten spring sources, meet one of the spring guardians and understand how to correctly dispose of the bottle once it is empty. Consumers can also enter their bottle’s unique 14-digit code to track the journey of the bottled water they are drinking – including the date it was sourced from the earth, where it was bottled and when it was shipped. 

Prioritizing traceability and sustainability
A Poland Spring-issued survey found that more than half of US adults review the ingredients in their packaged foods, but only a quarter of them check what’s in their bottled water. Moreover, nearly 40 percent are unsure of where their bottled water comes from. Poland Spring introduced the aforementioned labels precisely to address these issues and present a sustainable solution for the future.

Through the end of the year, Poland Spring Brand and The Recycling Partnership, a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming recycling for good in communities across the US, will continue running the first Instagram recycling hotline to help remove confusion about what is recyclable. 

As a major producer of packaged goods, NWNA holds a certain responsibility for packaging production and waste in the beverage industry, says the Poland Spring spokesperson. In response, the company announced its plans to reach 100 percent recycled plastic across its still water portfolio by 2022. It has already transitioned its water bottle portfolio, ranging from 20 oz to 1.5 L still water bottle sizes to 100 percent recycled and recyclable plastic. 

With the launch of the Nestlé Pure Life “DC Collection,” the 900 mL bottles of Poland Spring Brand ORIGIN and the Nestlé Pure Life 700 mL bottle, NWNA now has three of the only major, nationally distributed bottled water offerings on the market made using 100 percent recycled PET (rPET). 

Currently, SIG – a leading systems and solutions provider for aseptic packaging – has conducted almost 3,000 interviews to better understand how consumers interact with QR codes. In Brazil and Europe, usage rates were fairly similar with just 7 percent and 8 percent of consumers, respectively, scanning QR codes several times a week. In China, however, this figure rose to 50 percent – with consumers predominantly hoping to gain financial rewards. This not only shows that QR codes are far more established in China, but also that brands in Brazil and Europe could do more to promote their value to consumers, SIG indicates.

By scanning the QR code on iPhones and Android phones, consumers can easily track each bottle's journey.QR codes: Future ambitions
QR codes conveniently allow producers to share more information beyond the label and establish more interactive relationships with consumers. Building on this success, the company has plans to expand the technology into other NWNA brands, starting with Zephyrhills Brand Natural Spring Water in the New Year, the spokesperson reports.

“NWNA is taking a brand-by-brand approach on the integration of rPET across its domestic portfolio. The company will continue working to increase its use of recycled plastic across all of its domestic brands,” they add.

Poland Spring bottles with the QR codes can be found in-store at supermarkets, warehouse clubs, as well as convenience and chain drug stores in the Northeast region of the US. The brand is also commercially available via online purchasing platforms such as ReadyRefresh by Nestlé, Amazon, FreshDirect and Walmart.

By Anni Schleicher