The Coca-Cola system in Kenya unveiled a new iconic look of its leading sparkling soft drink Sprite. The lemon-lime flavored Sprite will now be packaged in a clear PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic bottle, marking a historic shift from the green-colored plastic bottle which has been its identity since 1960 when it was first launched.
This shift from the iconic green bottle means more Sprite bottles can be collected, recycled and reused to make new items, in line with Coca-Cola’s World Without Waste vision, which targets to collect and recycle the equivalent of every bottle or can it sells by 2030, as well as use 50% recycled content in all its packaging.
The new clear/transparent Sprite PET bottle is 100% recyclable, and therefore increases the value of the plastic in the after-use market and its ability to remain in the circular economy to be re-used for different purposes.
Clear PET can be recycled and re-used to make a wider range of new products, such as pillow and duvet inners, as well as new bottles, making it more valuable than green PET, which has limited uses.
Kenya becomes the 4th African market where Coca-Cola has introduced the Sprite clear PET, after South Africa, Nigeria and Ethiopia.
World Without Waste
“The World Without Waste” strategy represents Coca-Cola’s commitment to doing business sustainably, and this includes addressing the packaging waste challenge. Additionally, clear PET plastic contributes to economic empowerment as it will lead to enhanced income for waste reclaimers in Kenya who depend on collecting and selling packaging waste for a living,” added Mallowah.
The new look Sprite will be available in all retail outlets and Coca-Cola distributors across the country starting June this year as the company clears out the green packaging from the shelves and the trade to ensure complete transition into the clear bottles.
Coca-Cola is one of the members of PETCO Kenya (PET Recycling Company Ltd), an industry-led extended producer responsibility PET recycling scheme, comprised of 16 industry players from different sectors. PETCO seeks to coordinate initiatives to collect, sort and recycle plastic bottles, with broader focus on sustainable management of PET material after their initial use. This is done in partnership with recyclers who create new products out of disposed PET material.
