General Director of Coca-Cola: Towards a circular economy in Vietnam

Coca-Cola aims to collect and recycle 100% of the packaging sold by 2030.
Coca-Cola is investing in sustainable packaging solutions for products that consumers love. Most recently, Sprite – one of Coca-Cola’s biggest global brands – is converting its packaging from familiar green plastic bottles to transparent PET bottles to promote recycling in Vietnam. Male. On this occasion, the researcher had a conversation with Mr. Leonardo Garcia, General Director of Coca-Cola Vietnam and Cambodia.

Sprite with green bottle has been familiar to consumers for many years. Can you tell us what is the reason why Coca-Cola changed the bottle to a transparent color? Since Sprite was first introduced in the US in 1961, this drink has been sold in iconic green bottles. Sprite’s move to change packaging from green to transparent was a bold move for our brand. As one of Coca-Cola’s efforts to fulfill our commitment to A Waste-Free World, we are converting Sprite green plastic bottles into transparent plastic bottles, as transparent plastic is easy to recycle. much more manufactured than colored plastic. For the recycling industry, transparent PET bottles have a higher value, they are more likely to be collected and recycled into other products. For this reason, discontinuing the iconic green plastic bottle and switching to a transparent PET bottle for the Sprite product will contribute to an increase in local packaging recycling rates. Do you think this change is quite risky for Coca-Cola in terms of business? As a business, we always consider the recyclability and usefulness of all packaging materials – so they are always part of the circular economy, rather than being released into the environment. We find that converting Sprite plastic bottles from green to transparent makes recycling easier. So this is the right thing for Coca-Cola to do. At the same time, it fits with Coca-Cola’s ambitious For A World Without Waste. Accordingly, we set a target that by 2030, Coca-Cola will collect and recycle the number of bottles / cans equivalent to the number of bottles / cans we sell. This change of appearance does not affect the taste of the product. Consumers will continue to enjoy the refreshing and refreshing lemon flavor they already love. Waste from packaging is a serious problem in Vietnam. What other initiatives does Coca-Cola have to contribute to solving this problem? We see packaging waste as an urgent problem globally, as well as in Vietnam. As a business, Coca-Cola is determined to be part of the solution. We commit that all materials used in packaging are collected and processed continuously so that no material becomes waste on rivers or oceans. We are working hard to accelerate our actions, such as removing hard-to-recycle packaging from the Company’s product portfolio. In addition to switching to a transparent and easier to recycle bottle for Sprite, Coca-Cola Vietnam is also continuously launching initiatives to increase the collection and recycling of plastic packaging in Vietnam. In 2019, we have removed the plastic shrink film on Dasani bottled water with a capacity of 350 ml, 500 ml and 1,500 ml. In 2020, Coca-Cola is the first beverage company to introduce packaging made from 100% recycled plastic (rPET), applicable to Dasani bottled water (500 ml capacity) in the Vietnamese market. . In your opinion, what makes the most difficult for businesses in the story of waste reduction? We believe that all packaging materials are useful; and, if properly managed, they can turn into valuable resources and be reused. But to do that, we need to separate packaging at source and conduct more efficient collection, while prioritizing the use of recyclable materials and recyclable packages. This requires the participation of all sectors of society. We believe that the cooperation of all parties will promote innovation, improve the efficiency of materials, and in turn move towards a circular economy. In 2018, Coca-Cola announced its strategy for a Waste-Free World with the goal that by 2030, Coca-Cola can collect and recycle 100% of the packaging it sells. After 2 years, how far has this goal been achieved? We are delighted to share the achievements that Coca-Cola Vietnam has achieved over the past two years on our journey towards a World No Waste. In 2019, Coca-Cola has officially removed the plastic shrink film on Dasani bottled water (capacity 350 ml, 500 ml and 1,500 ml). In 2020, Coca-Cola is the first beverage company to introduce packaging made from 100% recycled plastic (rPET), applicable to Dasani bottled water (500 ml capacity) in the Vietnamese market. . This year, we moved Sprite’s signature green plastic bottle to a transparent plastic bottle to accelerate the recycling process. As a business, we are also constantly coming up with initiatives to promote packaging collection and recycling in Vietnam. For example, when we announced our For a Waste-Free World in 2018, we used some of our EKOCENTER Community Support Centers to organize waste management awareness programs. plastic. We also work closely with organizations that share a common vision to implement education and community awareness programs, such as the “No Waste to Nature” initiative with VCCI, the project ” Plastic Waste Awareness Initiative ”with UNESCO and British Council,“ Action Network for Plastic Waste ”together with Greenhub. Ultimately, we believe in working with government, industry and civil society to work together to find sustainable and viable solutions to the plastic waste problem in Vietnam. In 2019, along with other packaging manufacturers and consumer goods, Coca-Cola is one of the founding members of the Vietnam Packaging Recycling Alliance (PRO Vietnam). PRO Vietnam has a role to take concrete actions to reduce and segregate packaging waste at source, and promote the collection of used plastic waste for recycling in a sustainable way. The For A Waste-Free World with 2030 milestones is still a work in progress. However, Coca-Cola is really committed and more determined to develop together with Vietnam and make a positive difference in the future.