Coca-Cola and Nestlé Accused of Greenwashing

What's the story?

• Coca-Cola, Nestlé, and Danone were accused of misleading consumers with false claims about products being more eco-friendly than they truly are. 
• The three corporations claim that their bottles are recycled, which a consumer body and two environmental groups allege is false. The groups issued a legal complaint to the European Commission over the misleading messages, arguing the companies never made entirely recycled materials and are greenwashing their products.

Misleading claims

• The complaints focused on the companies saying their plastic bottles are either 100% recycled or recyclable. The European Commission Organization said these claims, along with green imagery and branding, are deceitful. 
• Rosa Pritchard, lawyer at ClientEarth, one of the environmental groups that issued the complaint, said:

"The evidence is clear – plastic water bottles are simply not recycled again and again to become new bottles in Europe. A '100%' recycling rate for bottles is technically not possible and, just because bottles are made with recycled plastics, does not mean they don't harm people and planet."

• The European Commission can organize a response among national consumer authorities if it agrees with the complaint. Then, penalties can be imposed. 

The response

• Coca-Cola said it was in the process of reducing the amount of plastic it uses and investing in collecting and recycling "the equivalent of the packaging" it creates. The company continued in a statement:

"We only communicate messages on our packaging that can be sustained, with any relevant qualifications clearly displayed to enable consumers to make informed choices. Some of our packaging carries messages to drive recycling awareness, including whether our packages are recyclable and if they are made from recycled content."

• A spokesperson for Nestlé said:

"We work hard to reduce the amount of plastic packaging we use; to lead investments and support packaging circularity alongside partners, and to communicate clearly with consumers who want to make informed choices.

"Nestle has reduced its amount of virgin plastic packaging by 10.5% since 2018, and we are on track to get to one-third less virgin plastic by the end of 2025."

• In a similar statement, Danone said the company strongly believes in the "circularity of packaging - and will continue to invest and lead the campaign for better collection and recycling infrastructure alongside our partners."

Do you think Coca-Cola and Nestlé are greenwashing?

-Jamie Epstein 

(Photo credit: iStock/Juanmonino)