As the beverage industry works toward tackling environmental degradation, experts highlight how sustainable packaging efforts are having an impact on plastic bottle manufacturing.

Coca-Cola, a brand of Atlanta-based The Coca-Cola Co., has teamed up with local pizzerias across the United States to launch Toss In, Take Out, a traveling restaurant takeover to serve up slices and pies. But, not for any amount of money, instead for the act of recycling a plastic bottle. Available now in 11 major U.S. markets, Toss In, Take Out will be celebrating the expansion of 100% recycled plastic bottles through takeovers of consumers’ favorite pizza spots in New York City, Atlanta and Chicago. 

In the name of sustainability beverage manufacturers are taking a proactive approach with packaging innovations. With Beverage Industry’s annual Best Packages of Year feature, the editors selected a collection of packaging releases that highlight the sustainable packaging efforts that beverage-makers are applying to their brands.

When it comes to beverage manufacturing and packaging practices, OEMs are creating the machinery necessary to help beverage-makers conserve and reduce their energy output. For plastic bottle manufacturing, it’s not just the increasing adoption of rPET plastic bottles, but also reducing the amount of carbon dioxide that it takes to power these machines, experts note.

Building on its longstanding commitment to environmental sustainability, FIJI Water has transitioned its iconic and best-selling 500- and 330-ml bottles to 100% recycled plastic (rPET) in the United States. The move is a substantial step in reducing plastic waste and replaces almost 65% of FIJI Water’s bottle volume in the United States with recycled material, it says. 

The Coca-Cola Co. announced that two of its biggest brands in North America are taking major steps to support a circular economy for plastic packaging. DASANI is rolling out bottles made from 100% recycled PET plastic (excluding caps and labels), and Sprite is transitioning from green to clear plastic to increase the material’s likelihood of being remade into new beverage bottles. 

Los Angeles-based POM Wonderful, grower and producer of fresh pomegranates and pomegranate juice in the United States, announced it is furthering its commitment to a sustainable future with the transition to 100% recycled plastic (rPET) bottles and shifting more than 90% of its electricity needs to renewable energy.

Agr International Inc. offers its Agr Process Pilot automated blowmolder control system to provide an extra layer of process management and quality assurance for a German juice maker shifting from 25% recycled PET (rPET) to 100% rPET bottles in response to a sustainability directive. 

St-Rémy changed its plastic 50-cl St-Rémy XO and VSOP bottles and its 1.75-liter St-Rémy VSOP plastic bottle from PET to recycled PET plastic. With the transfer to rPET on these three formats, St-Rémy will emit 29% less carbon dioxide, and use a third less water and energy than with plastic bottles made with the traditional PET, it says.