Major step to support a circular economy for plastic packaging in the Philippines through new “May Ikabobote Pa” consumer engagement initiative 

MANILA, Philippines, 8 September 2023 – Coca-Cola Philippines is taking another meaningful step toward a circular economy for plastic packaging by introducing more bottles made from 100% recycled PET plastic (rPET), excluding caps and labels. The rPET packaging is now available for Coca-Cola Original in 190ml and 390ml and Wilkins Pure in 500ml, in addition to Sprite 500ml, which was introduced in 2019. 

Coca-Cola has launched at least one brand in bottles made from 100% rPET in more than 40 countries around the world such as Indonesia, Myanmar, and Vietnam. Coca-Cola’s rPET bottles maintain high-quality standards that consumers expect from the company and comply with local regulations as well as The Coca-Cola Company’s strict global standards for food-grade rPET packaging. 

Coca-Cola Philippines has also established over 2,800 recycling drop-off points across the country, making it more convenient for consumers to return their empty bottles. The initiative encourages consumers to join recycling efforts, helps small store owners grow their businesses, and helps prevent plastic waste from ending up where it is not supposed to be.

Additionally, the company’s collaboration with Plastic Bank Philippines has led to the activation of 38 recyclable waste collection branches in Cavite and Laguna. Since 2021, the partnership resulted in the collection of 546,000 kilograms of post-consumer bottles for recycling while also enhancing the livelihood of informal waste sector workers. 

“Coca-Cola recognizes that the plastic waste problem in the Philippines is both urgent and complex. Therefore, it will take a collaborative effort to solve this issue. In line with our commitment to helping build a circular economy in the country, we are working to offer innovative packaging design, expand collection and recycling programs, and forge strategic alliances with stakeholders—including government agencies, industry partners, and local organizations,” Coca-Cola Philippines President Tony del Rosario said. 

“We will also use our brand power to engage consumers in collection and recycling initiatives and build awareness that used plastic bottles can have many lives,” he added. 

Coca-Cola Philippines is working to further increase the amount of recycled content used in its plastic packaging by building a sustainable pipeline of high-quality recycled material. Its bottling partner, Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines, Inc. (CCBPI), established PETValue Philippines through a joint venture with Indorama Ventures, a global leader in green technology and packaging solutions. This pioneering bottle-to-bottle recycling facility started operations in October last year and is expected to recycle 2 billion pieces of collected post-consumer PET plastic bottles per year. 

These initiatives are aligned with The Coca-Cola Company’s ambitious sustainable packaging strategy, where it aims to make 100% of its packaging recyclable globally by 2025, use at least 50% recycled plastic in its packaging by 2030, collect and recycle the equivalent of every can and bottle it sells by 2030, and bring people together to support a healthy, debris-free environment. 

CCBPI proudly shared its growing plastic bottle collection network through the strong support of its partners— “Tapon to Ipon: Basta Klaro, Panalo!” has already reached 170 cities and municipalities and is growing. CCBPI has inked partnerships with more local government units, including the Province of Iloilo, Davao del Sur, and Camiguin for large-scale collection.

“At CCBPI, we always say that we are only as strong as the communities we serve. Everything we do builds on our promise to create a more sustainable future for Filipinos,” shared Gareth McGeown, President and CEO of Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines Inc. “We always strive to set higher standards for the industry, but more importantly for ourselves—because we know we need to do more, and you have our commitment that we will do more. We are thankful for the support of our partners in helping give our bottles many more lives.”

MAY IKABOBOTE PA: A NEW CONSUMER ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE 

On top of the announcement of the new Coca-Cola Original and Wilkins Pure 100% rPET bottles, the company has launched “May Ikabobote Pa”, its new consumer engagement initiative to inform and engage consumers about the actions they can take to recycle their empty plastic bottles. 

May Ikabobote Pa will be brought to life through the following activities, which are also intended to inspire action from consumers and like-minded organizations: 

  • New rPET labels: Coca-Cola and Wilkins Pure bottles made from 100% food-grade rPET, excluding caps and labels, now have a call to action “Recycle Me Again” message on their labels. A QR code that will lead to information about the company’s recycling program is also included on each label. 
  • Enhanced consumer recycling experiences: Engaging activities on recycling will be featured at Coca-Cola’s on-ground events. 
  • Digital-led communications for consumers: Coca-Cola Philippines will partner with groups and community leaders to co-create educational content for a wider audience and advocate for sustainable practices. 
  • Partnership with 7-Eleven and Shell: The company is partnering with 7-Eleven stores and Shell stations to create programs that make recycling more convenient and rewarding for consumers. 

These activities are meant to bring people together and remind consumers about the importance of recycling their empty plastic bottles because #MayIkabobotePa (Bottles Can Have Many Lives).

TAPON TO REBORN: COCA-COLA PHILIPPINES EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM 

In line with Coca-Cola’s global commitment to sustainability, Coca-Cola Philippines has launched an employee engagement program, “Tapon to Reborn”, to encourage and enable its employees nationwide to become active participants in helping address the plastic waste problem in the country.  

“Tapon to Reborn” encourages employees to collect, segregate, and bring their empty PET bottles, cans, and beverage cartons to the office for recycling. The bottles are then sent to partner recycling facilities, including the CCBPI-supported PETValue PET bottle recycling plant, where they can become new bottles.  

The initiative aims to collect and sell 500 kilograms of PET bottles and cans. The proceeds of the collection will be used to support reforestation efforts in the Lagadlarin Mangrove Forest and Sierra Madre Forest. 

For more information on the sustainability initiatives of Coca-Cola Philippines, visit the Coca-Cola Sustainability Hub at coca-cola.com/ph/en/brands/coca-cola/sustainability or follow the company’s social media channels: @CocaColaPhilippines on Facebook and @cocacolaph on Twitter and Instagram

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