Foods and drinks manufacturers Nestlé, Danone and The Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Firm are going through rising scrutiny over the labeling of their plastic water bottles as both “100%” recycled or recyclable, with a number of inexperienced teams having this week introduced a authorized grievance to the European Fee arguing such branding is “deceptive.”
ClientEarth final week stated it had joined a number of teams in elevating an “exterior alert” to the European Fee and the Shopper Safety Cooperation Community (CPCN) in opposition to the three corporations, arguing their plastic bottle claims may characterize “widespread infringement of client safety regulation.”
It argues labeling plastic bottles as absolutely recyclable or created from 100% recycled content material, alongside “inexperienced” imagery may quantity to “greenwashing,” because it may give the impression such packaging is environmentally sustainable.
The teams are arguing that such claims fail to take account of various recycling programs in numerous jurisdictions, in addition to the totally different bottle parts — corresponding to bottle tops and labels — which are more durable to recycle and are due to this fact much more more likely to be despatched to landfill.
Furthermore, the recycling course of itself, whereas much less dangerous than different strategies of waste disposal, “can not resolve the worsening disaster of plastic air pollution,” the teams declare, because the plastic materials can’t be recycled infinitely. Waste campaigners have lengthy argued the main focus from corporates and policymakers ought to be on selling reuse and refill schemes to keep away from waste within the first place, over recycling schemes.
Claims on bottles that promote this concept danger deceptive shoppers and presenting an impediment to the inexperienced transition.
“A ‘100%’ recycling charge for bottles is technically not potential and, simply because bottles are made with recycled plastic, doesn’t imply they do not hurt individuals and the planet,” stated ClientEarth lawyer Rosa Pritchard.
“Firms are in a singular place to alter how we devour however presently these claims — which we contemplate to be deceptive — are making it laborious for shoppers to make good environmental decisions. Recycling is just not a passable answer, and firms should not be implying to shoppers that plastic bottles are ever a sustainable alternative.”
ClientEarth stated it had joined the Environmental Coalition on Requirements (ECOS) in supporting a authorized grievance by the Bureau Européen des Unions de Consommateurs (BEUC) in opposition to the three corporations, arguing such on-pack claims are deceptive.
It defined that by submitting an “exterior alert,” designated entities such because the BEUC are in a position to submit complaints to the CPCN and the EU Fee backed by proof of enterprise practices suspected of infringing client regulation.
It follows sizzling on the heels of analysis revealed final week by ClientEarth in collaboration with ECOS, consultancy Eunomia and Zero Waste Europe, which contends that many claims made by manufacturers that their PET beverage bottles are 100% recyclable or recycled are more likely to be deceptive.
The report argues the time period “recyclable” is ambiguous and shouldn’t be promoted on bottles and labels, as PET plastic is just not presently a totally round materials even inside one of the best recycling programs in Europe.
As an alternative, shoppers ought to be supplied with clear, on-label directions on the best way to correctly eliminate plastic packaging, it argued.
Growing circularity is a posh job and a shared duty involving many actors alongside the worth chain.
Pritchard described the idea of plastic bottle circularity as “a fantasy.” “Claims on bottles that promote this concept danger deceptive shoppers and presenting an impediment to the inexperienced transition,” she stated. “Shoppers want entry to truthful, trustworthy details about the environmental impacts of merchandise, and clear data on recycling. Motion will should be taken on these claims to rebuild client confidence and higher defend the planet.”
However Pure Mineral Waters Europe — which represents greater than 550 bottled water manufacturers throughout Europe, together with Danone and Nestlé — stated the trade adopted “acknowledged, strong frameworks” close to recycling design and client steerage for PET bottles, though it additionally pressured that “additional enhancements” may nonetheless be made by way of forthcoming EU rules on packaging and inexperienced claims.
“Growing circularity is a posh job and a shared duty involving many actors alongside the worth chain,” it stated in a press release. “We’re pleased with the progress our members have made to date, and as a sector we’re decided to go additional. Our members will proceed their efforts to offer easy-to-understand and helpful data to shoppers to assist them make sustainable decisions.”
A spokesperson for Nestlé additionally stated: “We work laborious to cut back the quantity of plastic packaging we use; to steer investments and help packaging circularity alongside companions, and to speak clearly with shoppers who wish to make knowledgeable decisions. Nestlé has diminished its quantity of virgin plastic packaging by 10.5 p.c since 2018, and we’re on observe to get to one-third much less virgin plastic by the top of 2025.”
Danone, in the meantime, didn’t remark instantly on the authorized grievance made in opposition to the three corporations, however in a press release stated “we strongly consider within the circularity of packaging — and can proceed to take a position and lead the marketing campaign for higher assortment and recycling infrastructure alongside our companions.”
“Now we have additionally made actual progress on our journey to decreasing single use plastic and virgin plastic use in parallel,” the agency added in a press release, highlighting a ten p.c absolute discount since 2018.
