COCA-COLA Beverages Philippines, Inc. on Tuesday announced that it will be exiting the sachet business next year as part of its environmental efforts.
The beverage company will also introduce paper straws and remove plastic straws from its juice and dairy products, Minute Maid and Nutriboost.
鈥淲e have made the bold decision to completely exit from our sachet business by 2022. Our reason for the shift in straws and our exit from sachets that we鈥檝e been in a long, long time is due to significant challenges from plastic recovery [of] straws and sachets,鈥 Coca-Cola Philippines President and Chief Executive Officer Gareth McGeown said at a virtual event.
鈥淭he exit hasn鈥檛 been an easy decision for many reasons, but we believe as a business, it鈥檚 the right one to make.鈥
The company in its Cavite-based manufacturing site produces powdered juice drinks sold in non-recyclable sachets.
As the company stops its sachet production, the 109 employees in the plant will be transferred to other Coca-Cola sites, Mr. McGeown said.
The move is part of the global company鈥檚 World Without Waste initiative to recycle the equivalent of a bottle or can for every one the company sells聽by 2030 and to make 100% of its packaging recyclable by 2025.
Meanwhile, the company鈥檚 P2.28-billion food grade bottle-to-bottle recycling facility joint venture with Indorama Ventures is still set to be operational by the first quarter next year. The facility will create around 200 direct jobs.
The global Coca-Cola company was named the world鈥檚 top plastic polluter by Break Free from Plastic in its annual audit last year. 鈥 Jenina P. Iba帽ez
