Coca-Cola, Danone, Nestle Accused of Misleading Recycling Claims by Consumer Groups & Environmental Bodies in EU Complaint

Complaint to European Commission alleges Coca-Cola, Danone, and Nestle misrepresent green credentials of packaging, with false claims of "100% recyclable" or "100% recycled" bottles, amid calls for companies to focus on reducing plastic use rather than misleading consumers.

• A legal complaint has been filed to the European Commission accusing Coca-Cola, Danone and Nestle of misleading environmental claims on their plastic water bottle packaging. The companies advertise the bottles as '100% recyclable' or '100% recycled', however, consumer and environmental groups argue that plastic bottles are never fully made of recycled materials.
• The European Consumer Organisation, Client Earth, and ECOS have all backed this complaint, stating that the recycling claims mislead consumers into thinking they are helping the environment by choosing these products. They also emphasize that the ability to recycle these bottles is highly dependent on various factors, including available infrastructure.
• In response to the accusations, both Coca-Cola and Danone have defended their recycling claims, stating that they are verifiable and aim to educate consumers about the recyclability of their packaging. Nestle has yet to give a public response.
• If the European Commission supports the allegations in the complaint, it may coordinate with national consumer authorities to enforce remedial actions. These could potentially involve fines or require the companies to modify their claims.
• The complaint highlights the significant environmental problem of plastic pollution. According to the United Nations Environmental Programme, plastic bottles are one of the most common items littering the environment. Only 38% of plastic packaging used within the EU is recycled, further refuting the companies' '100% recycled' claim.

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