During the pilot programme, the labels will be temporarily removed from single 500ml Sprite and Sprite Zero bottles and will be replaced with an embossed logo on the front of the pack
Coca‑Cola to remove labels from Sprite bottles in UK to simplify packaging. (Credit: The Coca‑Cola Company)
Coca‑Cola has removed labels from Sprite and Sprite Zero on-the-go bottles in a limited trial of label-less packaging in the UK.
During the pilot programme, the labels will be temporarily removed from single 500ml Sprite and Sprite Zero bottles. They will be replaced with an embossed logo on the front of the pack.
The back of the pack will have the product and nutritional information laser-engraved on it.
Coca‑Cola said that even though the current labels are completely recyclable, taking them off makes recycling easier.
The label-less packaging lessens the overall quantity of packaging material utilised and eliminates the need to separate them from the bottles during the recycling process.
The new limited design will be available from January to March 2024 at eight Tesco Express locations in Brighton and Hove, Bristol, London, and Manchester.
Additionally, the clear, 100% recycled PET bottles have transparent, green attached lids that designate them as Sprite or Sprite Zero, respectively, just like the existing Sprite packaging.
Coca‑Cola Great Britain GB&I franchise operations vice president Dusan Stojankic said: “We want to help create a future where plastic drink packaging will always have more than one life.
“Labels contain valuable information for consumers, but with the help of technology we can now trial other ways to share this information while reducing the amount of packaging we use.
“Going label-less might seem like a small step, but it is one of several ways we are exploring making recycling easier, minimising waste, and minimising the impact of our packaging on the environment.”
Coca-Cola has implemented several design modifications in recent times to mitigate packaging waste.
One such change involves converting Sprite bottles from green to clear plastic, which facilitates their recycling back into bottles.
In addition, the beverage company has invested in new designs to minimise the amount of packaging it uses, such as lightweight bottles and a reduction in the materials used in external packaging.
It has also added attached caps to its bottles, ensuring that the cap stays connected to the bottle after opening to lessen the possibility of littering.