Schweppes

Is THAT why you call them mixers?!

My latest target is Coca Cola, who own the Schweppes tonic water brand.  This particular packaging design is so irresponsible it should be criminal: beautifully designed little single-serve glass bottles, which always used to come with a paper label, which are now being sold with plastic wrap on each bottle.

WHY IS THIS WRONG?

Glass recycling, unlike plastic recycling, actually works.  But by choosing to plastic-wrap glass, Schweppes are disincentivising glass recycling, or causing contamination of separated glass collections, or both: can YOU imagine sitting down after a party and slitting and unwrapping each individual bottle? Consumers can make responsible choices in how they dispose of waste, but corporations should not be allowed to burden them with ridiculous extra waste through their irresponsible packaging design, chosen purely to strengthen brand identity and improve sales with eye-catching colour with no thought for environmental concerns.

 

I’M CALLING ON COCA COLA TO IMMEDIATELY STOP THIS PRACTICE OF WRAPPING GLASS IN PLASTIC AND REVERT TO EASILY DETACHABLE PAPER LABELS. I SENT THE BELOW MAIL VIA COCA COLA’S CONTACT US FORM ON THE 10TH OF APRIL.

PLEASE JOIN ME!

 

Hello,
I am writing with a request specific to the packaging of Schweppes products. I was recently dismayed to see single-portion Schweppes bottles for sale with plastic film on each glass bottle. This is totally irresponsible packaging design. While plastic recycling is inefficient and questionable at best, glass is a widely recyclable raw material. By wrapping each glass bottle in plastic, you are effectively leaving the onus on each consumer to split and remove plastic film from each bottle. You may claim that plastic wrap reduces breakages, but it is entirely within your power to research alternative methods of transporting your bottles safely. This packaging choice only reflects a desire to provide high-impact, colourful branding to your bottles and reflects extremely poorly on Coca Cola’s corporate responsibility.

I’m urging you to please remove the unnecessary plastic from the glass bottles in your range. A removable paper label was sufficient throughout many years of Schweppes’ illustrious history and there’s no reason why you can’t revert to this option.

I’m not interested in hearing that this plastic wrap is “recyclable” – your product design actively interferes with consumers’ waste disposal methods and is unacceptable.
I look forward to your response,
Ellie O’Byrne