Nestlé Waters North America propels rPET with big brand adoptions

17 Jul 2020 --- Nestlé Waters North America (NWNA) has announced that three more of its US domestic still water brands have converted their bottles to 100 percent recycled PET (rPET). The Ozarka, Deer Park and Zephyrhills natural spring water brands, which have long been fully recyclable, are now using 100 percent recycled plastic in multiple size bottles. The rPET conversions are integral to NWNA’s pledge to achieve 25 percent rPET across its US domestic portfolio by 2021 and 50 percent rPET by 2025.

With the expansion of rPET to these brands, nearly 60 percent of all households in the US will have access to one of NWNA’s regionally distributed spring water brands in bottles made entirely from recycled plastic, the company notes.

“We have made significant strides on our journey to use more sustainable packaging,” says David Tulauskas, Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer at NWNA. “Bottles made with other bottles – like these – provide tangible proof that recycling works and the circular economy for plastics is achievable. By using recycled plastic, we are breathing new life into existing materials, reducing the need for new plastic and our carbon footprint, and supporting the 757,000 jobs in recycling and reuse activities in the US.”

The packaging conversion for these three brands means that NWNA has now doubled the amount of rPET used since 2019 across its US domestic portfolio to a reported 16.5 percent. This step brings the company closer to achieving its goals of using 25 percent rPET across its US domestic portfolio by 2021 and 50 percent rPET by 2025.

Advancing the rPET market
By accelerating the use of rPET in its bottles, NWNA is driving the shift from virgin plastic to recycled plastic and helping to create an end-market for sustainable rPET. Towards this aim, Nestlé recently announced an investment of up to 2 billion Swiss francs (US$2.08 billion) to pioneer the shift from virgin plastics to food grade recycled plastics. Using recycled plastic can help keep packaging out of landfills, waterways and oceans, and reduce greenhouse gases by 67 percent compared to using new plastic, according to the Association of Plastic Recyclers.

“As we continue our brand-by-brand approach to convert our portfolio to recycled plastic packaging, we are building on the rich history of Ozarka, Deer Park and Zephyrhills and giving them new purpose,” explains Yumiko Clevenger-Lee, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at NWNA. “By embedding sustainability into the foundation of our brands, we are able to deliver a superior product experience that also aligns with what our consumers want and what the planet needs.”The Ozarka, Deer Park and Zephyrhills natural spring water brands are now using 100 percent rPET across multiple sizes.

Eco-centric labeling
To help consumers identify the new rPET bottles, all three brands will include a new message on the labels of the 20 oz, 700 ml, 1 L and 1.5 L bottles, stating that they are “100% recyclable” and made from 100 percent recycled plastic.

To provide greater transparency about the source of the water, the labels will also include a QR code that allows consumers to scan and track the journey of the water they’re drinking, as well as the bottle. Understanding consumers’ desire for product traceability and transparency, NWNA also introduced code tracking for its Poland Spring brand labels to create an interactive drinking experience.

Meanwhile, the Ozarka brand will be launching a TV, digital and social media campaign this summer to inform Texans of the new rPET bottles. Understanding that bottles need to be recycled to enable circularity, Zephyrhills will be launching limited edition labels that encourage consumers to recycle through a bold message stating, “I’m Not Trash! I’m 100% Recyclable.” This message will accompany the “100% recycled” message on the applicable bottle sizes.

In collaboration with PackagingInsights, Innova Market Insights unveiled its Top Packaging Trends 2020 earlier in the year, with “The Language of Environmental Sustainability” identified as this year’s leading trend. FMCG brands are increasingly finding a competitive advantage in more prominent on-pack communication of their packaging’s environmental sustainability credentials. Packaging – and its impact on the planet – are now regarded as key purchasing considerations for many global consumers.

Overcoming poor PET recycling rates
NWNA’s ability to expand its use of recycled plastic partially relies on existing bottles being recycled when empty. However, less than 30 percent of PET bottles are recycled and many recovered beverage containers are being downcycled and used in non-food contact applications, NWNA indicates.NWNA has pledged to achieve 25 percent rPET across its US domestic portfolio by 2021 and 50 percent rPET by 2025.

In its third annual comprehensive national study, This is How We Planet: America’s Perspective on Water, Packaging and Health, NWNA stressed that while most consumers agree that national plastic waste has gone overboard, nearly half of US citizens surveyed say it is easier to throw away plastic than to recycle it. Furthermore, the report indicated that rural communities are particularly disadvantaged by a lack of accessibility to recycling infrastructure.

Recognizing the challenges in obtaining enough rPET to incorporate into more of its product packaging, NWNA says it will continue to work collectively with industry, NGOs, governments and consumers to address critical issues related to infrastructure, collection, policy, consumer education, and the development of end-markets for recycled materials.

“Our resolve to lead the industry in the use of recycled plastic in our packaging has never been stronger. Through collaborative relationships with stakeholders along the entire recycling value chain and long-term agreements with suppliers, we work to provide stability to our suppliers and reinforce our commitment to this market,” says Tulauskas. “This means that we often pay more for recycled plastic than we would if we purchased virgin plastic. This is an investment we prioritize for the business, given our responsibility as a producer of packaged goods and our commitment to sustainability as we work toward a waste-free future.”

To help the “underfunded and often outdated recycling infrastructure in the US,” NWNA made a US$6 million investment in the Closed Loop Infrastructure Fund to support projects that help increase recycling capabilities throughout the country. In 2019, Poland Spring collaborated with The Recycling Partnership to launch the first Instagram recycling hotline to help Americans understand what is recyclable in their communities. NWNA was also the first beverage company to add How2Recycle information on the labels of its major US brands, reminding consumers to empty the bottle and replace the cap before recycling.

By Joshua Poole