Coca-Cola HBC Slovenia is working to reduce its environmental impact. As part of the World without Waste program, the company has consequently adopted a holistic approach. In terms of design, the company aims to recycle all of its primary packaging and increase the use of recycled materials in the production of new packaging. When it comes to packaging collection, the aim is to collect and recycle as many bottles and cans as are placed on the market, by 2030. In partnerships, the company works with key stakeholders to reduce environmental impacts by implementing a range of initiatives and projects.
The “Recycle me. Give me a new life” initiative is a new addition to Coca-Cola’s environmental awareness activities in Slovenia, points out Bruno Jelić, Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Director with Coca-Cola HBC Adria: “Coca-Cola HBC is the leading beverage company when it comes to sustainable operations. Our comprehensive World Without Waste program, which has been running for several years, offers and seeks solutions to packaging challenges. The “Recycle me. Give Me a New Life.” initiative was launched in order to co-create a healthier, zero-waste environment. The pilot project to collect beverage packaging waste in Slovenia aims at addressing any improper disposal of waste, as such waste represents both a challenge in meeting environmental recycling targets and an opportunity in terms of economic improvements. The project aims to show that we can work together to get packaging disposal right and give waste packaging a new lease of life. Coca-Cola HBC is already successfully involved in the implementation of a packaging waste deposit-refund system in twelve European countries.”
RETURN BEVERAGE PACKAGING TO RECEIVE EXTRA POINTS AND ENTER A PRIZE DRAW
Under the pilot project, consumers can deposit their waste plastic bottles or cans in collection boxes at the entrances of 15 selected Mercator hypermarkets across Slovenia. Moreover, every Saturday between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., they will receive a voucher for extra points, which will be credited to the Mercator Pika loyalty card upon dropping off the waste packaging. Participants can redeem the extra points voucher on their first purchase. When redeeming the extra points voucher, they will also receive a voucher to enter the prize draw by means of a text message for a chance to win one of 15 electric scooters. The initiative is partnered by Slopak, a company that makes sure the collected beverage packaging waste is dealt with properly. The projects’ added value is also reflected in the cooperation with the Olympic Committee of Slovenia – Association of Sports Federations (OKS – ZŠZ), as the collected beverage packaging from the pilot project will be launched as a special series of products for the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF 2023).
PILOT PROJECT TESTS CONSUMER READINESS FOR A DEPOSIT-REFUND SYSTEM
The project also aims to test the readiness of consumers in Slovenia to adopt a sustainable attitude towards packaging waste, and return cans and bottles to the point of sale. This also tests the readiness for the proposed introduction of a deposit-refund system along the lines of the 12 European countries where this system has already been successfully implemented (Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Slovakia and Latvia) and Coca-Cola HBC has been successfully involved in its implementation. In Slovenia, a deposit system is already in place for returnable glass packaging.
Such a deposit system is expected to make the separate collection of plastic bottles more efficient and thus contribute to a cleaner environment. In the case of a deposit-refund system, consumers pay a deposit which is refunded when they return the empty packaging to the point of sale. Consumers therefore have a financial incentive to return empty packaging to the point of sale, thus allowing the packaging to be reused or recycled. The deposit system complies with the EU directive which requires Member States to collect 77% of waste beverage bottles by 2025 and raise this target to 90% by 2029.
Details of the pilot project and the prize draw are available at https://bit.ly/3ePHbzO