Its paper bottle trial with e-grocery retailer Kifli.hu in Hungary is part of The Coca-Cola Company’s World Without Waste sustainable packaging goals
The paper bottle project is being co-developed by Coca‑Cola’s research and development team in Brussels and The Paper Bottle Company (Credit: The Coca-Cola Company/YouTube)
The Coca-Cola Company’s paper bottle prototype is going to be trialed this summer through an online retailer in Hungary.
A run of 2,000 bottles of the plant-based beverage AdeZ will be offered via e-grocery retailer Kifli.hu.
The paper bottle project is being co-developed by Coca‑Cola’s research and development team in Brussels and The Paper Bottle Company (Paboco), a Danish startup supported by ALPLA and BillerudKorsnäs, as well as Carlsberg, L’Oréal and The Absolut Company.
The project is moving into the consumer testing phase to measure the package’s performance and shopper response to the format.
Coca-Cola and Paboco unveiled the first-generation prototype, which consists of a paper shell with a recyclable plastic lining and cap, last autumn.
Daniela Zahariea, director of technical supply chain and innovation at Coca‑Cola Europe, said: “The trial we are announcing today is a milestone for us in our quest to develop a paper bottle.
“People expect Coca‑Cola to develop and bring to market new, innovative and sustainable types of packaging.
“That’s why we are partnering with experts like Paboco, experimenting openly and conducting this first-in-market trial.”
Paper bottle trial part of The Coca-Cola Company’s World Without Waste sustainable packaging goals
The technology developed by Paboco is designed to create 100% recyclable bottles made of sustainably sourced wood with a bio-based material barrier capable of resisting liquids, CO2 and oxygen.
It’s also suitable for beverages, beauty products and other liquid goods, with the ultimate goal being to create a bottle that can be recycled as paper.
The innovation supports The Coca-Cola Company’s World Without Waste sustainable packaging goal to collect and recycle a bottle or can for every one it sells by 2030.
As part of this, it’s looking to substantially reduce the use of virgin packaging materials and using only 100% recyclable packaging materials.