Coca-Cola: The Top Plastic Polluter

The Coca-Cola Company is a multinational beverage corporation. In 2022, Coca-Cola produced 134 billion single-use plastic bottles and were responsible for around one in five of the world’s PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) plastic bottles. It is the top plastic producing company in the world, with a plastic footprint of 3.45 million tonnes, estimated to increase to 4.13 tons by 2030. 

Since 2018, Break Free From Plastic (BFFP) member organizations and supporters have contributed to a global brand audit project. A brand audit is a global community initiative where branded plastic waste polluting the environment is collected, counted, and recorded. In this way, the companies responsible for plastic pollution around the world can be identified.

In 2023, the analysis reveals the top ten global polluters: The Coca-Cola Company, Nestlé, Unilever, PepsiCo, Mondelēz International, Mars, Inc., Procter & Gamble, Danone, Altria, and British American Tobacco. The Coca-Cola Company was responsible for 11% of all items collected. In fact, Coca-Cola has been the top polluter every year since the audits began.

It is unsurprising that the biggest plastic producer is also the biggest plastic polluter. It is intuitively the case that the more plastic a company produces, the more plastic will be found polluting the environment. A 2024 study has shown that every 1% increase in a companies’ plastic production is associated with a 1% increase in plastic pollution. This demonstrates how radical limits on plastic production are needed to reduce pollution. 

In their World Without Waste campaign, Coca-Cola claims that they want to tackle plastic pollution. However, they continue to produce more and more plastic. Life Cycle Analyses (LCAs) have consistently shown that reusable packaging is less damaging to the environment. However, the company that originally sold drinks in refillable glass bottles, has fully embraced cheap, disposable plastic. 

Instead of reducing their plastic footprint, Coca-Cola has greenwashed their products, making them appear sustainable, whilst successfully avoiding costly legislation restricting plastic. 

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Read more about The Coca-Cola Company’s greenwashing tactics in episode 3 of this seven part series...

For more information contact: info@scarabtrust.org.uk

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