Swiss food and beverage giant Nestlé, US food and beverage conglomerate Coca-Cola Company and global food corporation Danone face legal scrutiny over "misleading" claims made on bottle packaging, according to a report by GreenBiz.
According to the report, Nestlé, Coca-Cola and Danone sell plastic water bottles, presented as 100% recyclable or renewable.
However, several environmental groups claimed the text was “misleading,” according to the November 15 report.
GreenBiz reported that the Environmental Coalition on Standards (ECOS), the Bureau Européen des Unions de Consommateurs (BEUC) and ClientEarth have submitted a joint “external alert” to the EU Commission's Consumer Protection Cooperation Network (CPCN). They claimed that the brands could be committing “a widespread breach of consumer protection law”.
Rosa Pritchard, lawyer at ClientEarth, stated that achieving a '100%' recycling rate for bottles is not technically feasible. The fact that bottles are made from recycled plastic does not exempt them from causing harm to people and the planet.
“These claims – which we consider misleading – are making it difficult for consumers to make good environmental choices,” Pritchard added.
Pritchard considers the circularity of plastic bottles to be a myth. She warns that claims to this effect can mislead consumers, hindering the green transition. “Consumers need access to fair and honest information about the environmental impacts of products and clear information about recycling.”
Danone, although it did not comment directly on the legal complaint, said in a statement: “We believe in the circularity of packaging and will continue to invest in collection and recycling infrastructure.”
Trio of food giants face legal action for 'greenwashing' plastic packaging
On the other hand, Natural Mineral Waters Europe, representing more than 550 brands including Danone and Nestlé, highlighted that the sector follows “recognized and robust frameworks” for recycling and consumer guidance for PET bottles. The organization also mentioned that “further improvements” could be made through future EU regulations on green packaging and claims.
A Nestlé spokesperson said: “We are committed to actively reducing the amount of plastic packaging we use. Additionally, we are leading investments and supporting packaging circularity in collaboration with our partners. We communicate clearly with consumers looking to make informed choices.” Nestlé has reduced its virgin plastic packaging by 10.5% since 2018 and we are on track to reach a third less virgin plastic by the end of 2025.”
Danone did not comment directly on the legal complaint made against the three companies in the report. The company said in a statement: “We believe in the circularity of packaging. We will continue to invest and lead the campaign for better collection and recycling infrastructure with our partners.”
In the statement, the company also mentioned real progress in reducing the use of single-use plastic and virgin plastic, highlighting an absolute reduction of 10% since 2018.
Source: Oils & Fats International
