Liberty Coca-Cola, which has a soda production and distribution facility in Philadelphia, is replacing the plastic ring carriers around its bottles with paperboard ones, writes Ariana Perez-Castells for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The company previous did the same with its cans in 2022.
The switch is the latest this and other companies in the beverage industry are making to move away from plastic.
“Consumers are looking for more sustainable packaging. They’re looking for what’s good for the environment. They’re looking for innovation, things that are different, things that are a wow factor,” said Fran McGorry, CEO and co-owner of Liberty Coca-Cola.
In early April, production at the Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages plant in Philadelphia stopped for about three weeks in order to install the new equipment necessary for the new carriers. According to McGorry, the company spent $3.5 million to make the change.
In addition to Coca-Cola, Sprite and Dr Pepper are some of the other drinks customers in the Philly region might see soon with the new paperboard carrier.
By not using any plastric ring carriers, Liberty Coca-Cola is reducing its plastic use by 200,000 pounds a year.
Read more about how Liberty Coca-Cola is reducing its plastic use and addressing sustainability at The Philadelphia Inquirer.
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