EU BEVERAGE PACKAGING AIMS TO BE FULLY CIRCULAR BY 2030

UNESDA Soft Drinks Europe, a trade association that represents the non-alcoholic  beverage sector has launched its Circular Packaging Vision 2030, which aims to achieve full circularity of beverage packaging (plastic, aluminium and glass) by 2030.

Ian Ellington, UNESDA President and Senior Vice President and Chief Category Officer, at PepsiCo Europe, says the sector wants to demonstrate its responsibility and commitment to accelerating the transition to a circular economy. 

“Beverage packaging can be fully circular and has a central role to play in a circular economy: it has value, is recyclable, is collected and used as recycled content,” Mr Ellington says.

“We believe that packaging is a resource that should never be wasted and end up as litter. That’s why we have decided to make a number of ambitious commitments for our beverage packaging.”

The vision will require actions across three areas:

Collection to create a closed-loop for beverage packaging

• Target at least 90% collection of all beverage packaging by 2030;
• Expand introduction of Deposit Return Schemes for all PET, aluminium cans and other materials.

Recycling

• All soft drinks PET bottles will contain a minimum average of 50% rPET by 2025;
• The ambition is for PET bottles to be made from 100% recycled and/or renewable material by 2030; 
• By 2025, all beverage packaging (plastic, metal, glass) will be 100% recyclable.

Reduce and reuse

• Aiming to boost use of refillable packaging;
• Studying the best environmental and economic pathway to increase use of refillable models.

Mr Ellington says: “Our Circular Packaging Vision 2030 demonstrates that Europe’s soft drinks industry wants to continue to be a part of the solution.

“Circularity works and we are ready to make long-term investments in supporting and accompanying the transition to ensure that none of our packaging ends up as litter.”

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