Coca-Cola Doubles Down on Single-Use Plastic, Abandons Reduction and Reuse Goals in Wake of Stalled Plastic Treaty Negotiations

Coca-Cola's Policy Shift on Plastic Use - Coca-Cola has abandoned its previous goals to increase reusable packaging and reduce virgin plastic use, instead focusing on increasing recycled plastic use to 30%-35% globally by 2035 and ensuring the collection of 70%-75% of bottles and cans introduced into the market annually [1] - The company has dropped its 2023 Environmental Update goals, which included selling 25% of beverages in refillable/returnable packaging by 2030 and reducing virgin plastic use by 3 million metric tons from 2020 to 2025 [1] - Coca-Cola's new policy is expected to result in billions more single-use plastic bottles and cups entering waterways and seas, as the company remains the world's top plastic polluter according to the Break Free From Plastic Brand Audit [1] Oceana's Response to Coca-Cola's Policy Change - Oceana criticizes Coca-Cola's decision as short-sighted and irresponsible, stating it deserves condemnation from customers, employees, investors, and governments concerned about plastic pollution's impact on oceans and health [1] - Oceana estimates that if Coca-Cola had met its 25% reusable packaging goal by 2030, it could have avoided producing over 100 billion 500ml single-use plastic bottles and cups and prevented 8.5-14.7 billion plastic items from reaching waterways and seas [1] - Oceana argues that Coca-Cola's new recycling pledges will not significantly reduce its overall plastic use and calls for investors and governments to hold the company accountable for its plastic waste and pollution [1] Oceana's Mission and Achievements - Oceana is the largest international advocacy organization focused solely on ocean conservation, working to rebuild abundant and biodiverse oceans through science-based policies in countries controlling one-quarter of the world's wild fish catch [1] - The organization has achieved over 300 victories addressing issues such as overfishing, habitat destruction, oil and plastic pollution, and the killing of threatened species like turtles, whales, and sharks [1] - Oceana's efforts aim to restore oceans to a state where 1 billion people can enjoy a healthy seafood meal daily, contributing to both ocean conservation and global food security [1]