Coca‑Cola has temporarily removed labels from Sprite and Sprite Zero on-the-go bottles in a limited trial of ‘label-less’ packaging in the UK.
The pilot sees labels temporarily removed from single 500ml Sprite and Sprite Zero bottles and replaced with an embossed logo on the front of the pack. Laser-engraved product and nutritional information will appear on the back of pack.
While existing labels are fully recyclable, the brand stated that removing them simplifies the recycling process. It removes the need to separate them from the bottles during the recycling process and reduces the amount of packaging material used overall.
The limited design is being sold at eight Tesco Express Stores in Brighton and Hove, Bristol, London and Manchester up until March.
In recent years, Coca‑Cola has introduced a number of design changes to help reduce packaging waste, including turning Sprite bottles from green to clear plastic to make them easier to recycle back into bottles. It has also introduced attached caps to its bottles, ensuring that the cap stays connected to the bottle after opening to reduce the potential for littering, and invested in new designs to reduce the amount of packaging it uses.
Commenting on the company’s latest development, Javier Meza, VP Marketing at Coca‑Cola Europe, said: “The trial we are announcing today is a milestone for the industry. It’s the first time these two technologies have been used in a pilot globally, where a Coca‑Cola product will appear in a label-less, single-unit bottle sold in-store. Although the design change may sound simple, this is a big shift from a marketing perspective. This trial could contribute to longer-term changes to the way brands communicate with their consumers.”
James Bull, Head of Packaging and Food Waste Strategy at Tesco, added: “We want to help our customers minimize the environmental impact of the products they buy, including removing plastic and packaging when possible. This trial of label-less packaging by Sprite is a great example of how brands are innovating to provide those solutions.”
