Coca-Cola has redesigned its Nigeria’s premium Eva Water bottle by adopting a lighter design, through its sustainable commitment, thereby lowering the amount of plastic used.
According to the company, this ‘lightweighting’ strategy not only reduces the plastic that could potentially end up in landfills but also substantially reduces the demand for virgin plastic.
“It represents a major step forward in reducing Coca-Cola’s carbon footprint, fostering a more circular economy where resources are utilised more efficiently, and waste, is drastically minimised,” the company said in a release.
Coca-Cola’s commitment to sustainable packaging is encapsulated in its “World Without Waste” initiative, launched in January 2018. It aims to collect and recycle the equivalent of every bottle or can it sell globally by 2030.
Nigeria is experiencing a concerning plastic pollution problem. One that is causing significant environmental damage, from the imbalance created in the oceans and the erosion of biodiversity to its outright influence on pollution, public health, and climate change, the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), said.
The country is estimated to generate an average of 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with its commercial capital, Lagos, generating 870,000 annually.
According to the NESG, these numbers are a major cause for concern, especially as the ubiquity of plastic waste is steadily growing, with no directed measures to curb the increase.
Nwamaka Onyemelukwe, Senior Director of Public Affairs, Communication, & Sustainability at Coca-Cola Nigeria, emphasised the importance of this initiative, stating, “Less plastic does not mean less quality. The lightweighting of our bottles is an essential stride towards minimizing our packaging’s plastic content, reducing landfill waste, and crafting a more sustainable planet and hopeful future.”
This initiative, according to Coca-Cola, has already resulted in a reduction of 3,000 tons of virgin plastic annually, setting a precedent for other companies to emulate. “Coca-Cola’s vision is clear: every package it introduces should lead a life beyond its initial use.”
By adopting and innovating eco-friendly packaging solutions, the company is not only responding to the increasing consumer demand for sustainability but also actively contributing to a healthier, greener planet for future generations.
The Company stated that while it will work to do its part to help solve the world’s packaging problem, they will continue to collaborate with collection and recycling value chain players, industry, NGOs, and government partners to advance its vision of a World Without Waste faster and with a larger positive impact.
