Plastic Pollution by Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Nestlé

Plastic Pollution and Corporate Accountability

• Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Nestlé have been accused of making "zero progress" in reducing plastic waste, being named the world's top plastic polluters for the third year in a row.
• Coca-Cola was ranked the world's No 1 plastic polluter, with its beverage bottles being the most frequently found discarded on beaches, rivers, parks, and other litter sites in 51 of 55 nations surveyed.
• Coca-Cola branding was found on 13,834 pieces of plastic, followed by PepsiCo with 5,155 pieces, and Nestlé with 8,633 pieces.

Plastic Waste Statistics

• 63% of the collected plastic waste was marked clearly with a consumer brand.
• Up to 91% of all the plastic waste ever generated has not been recycled and ended up being incinerated, in landfill, or in the natural environment.
• Single-use sachets were the most commonly found type of item, followed by cigarette butts, and then plastic bottles.

Corporate Responses to Plastic Pollution

• Coca-Cola claims to be working to address packaging waste, with a goal to get every bottle back by 2030, and has reduced plastic use in secondary packaging.
• PepsiCo has set plastic reduction goals, including decreasing virgin plastic in its beverage business by 35% by 2025, and is growing refill and reuse through businesses like SodaStream.
• Nestlé claims to be making "meaningful progress" in sustainable packaging, but recognizes that more needs to be done.

NGOs and Advocacy Groups

• Break Free From Plastic's global campaign coordinator, Emma Priestland, argues that the only way to halt plastic pollution is to stop production, phase out single use, and implement reuse systems.
• Tearfund's survey found that Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Nestlé, and Unilever are responsible for half a million tonnes of plastic pollution in six developing countries each year.