Co-op shifts to 100% recycled plastic bottles

The Co-operative Group has shifted to 100% recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) bottles across all of its own label carbonated drinks and mixers.

The retailer claimed the move would cut carbon emissions by 1,212t and save 808t of new plastic from being made per year.

The initiative has been made possible through the efforts of soft drinks processor Silver Spring, which supplies all drinks covered by the announcement to the Co-operative Group.

Already, 100% rPET represented a fifth of Silver Spring’s bottling output, said operations director David Hanlon, adding: “Within 20 months we have the capability to offer 100% rPET to every customer across all our products.”

Silver Spring’s output is currently 1,000t of rPET annually, said Hanlon. He said switching to recycled materials had additional environmental benefits. “We were told by one rPET supplier that 1t of virgin PET represented 3t of carbon emissions, whereas 1t of rPET represented 0.4t of carbon emissions.”

At the moment, there was a “slight on-cost” for rPET crystals because they had to be sourced from overseas, he said. But as more UK plants came on stream the price was likely to drop. The firm also aims to make all its bottle sleeves and caps recyclable.

“We are absolutely thrilled to be working in partnership with the Co-operative Group to bring rPET bottles to market before its competitors,” said Hanlon. “There is a great deal of enthusiasm from consumers and retailers for a greener product.”

Iain Ferguson, commercial packaging manager at the Co-operative Group said: “Our members and customers have told us they want to see action on packaging, so we are delighted to be the first major retailer to roll out 100% rPET bottles across our carbonated drinks and mixers range.”

Separately to the rPET deal with the Co-op Group, Silver Spring operates a separating and recycling centre at its headquarters in Folkestone, Kent. Hanlon claimed the facility had saved the company £100,000 in external recycling costs and enabled it to make £50,000 annually by selling the recycled material.