Why is Sprite Changing Iconic Green Bottles?

Sprite will no longer be sold in its iconic green plastic bottles in North America, a statement from parent company Coca-Cola said on Wednesday.

It is estimated that the U.S. is the largest generator of plastic waste worldwide, with Americans generating around 130kg of plastic waste per year.

Plastic materials were first used commercially more than 50 years ago, but there is growing evidence that what was once hailed as a wonder product has real potential to cause harm to people and the environment. Chemicals used in plastic products are thought to be absorbed by human bodies and have been found to alter hormones and have other potential side effects, similarly, plastic debris laced with chemicals is often ingested by animals that an injury or poisoning marine and other wildlife.

Elsewhere buried deep in landfills, harmful chemicals from plastic have been reported to spread to groundwater, and floating plastic waste in water can survive for thousands of years, disrupting habitats worldwide.

But one plastic product is about to undergo big changes as Coca-Cola announced that from Monday, Sprite will no longer be sold in plastic green bottles in North America.

Easier Recycling is Coming

Virtually all single-serving and 2-liter bottles of soft drinks in the U.S. are made using polyethylene terephthalate (PET). A clear, strong, and lightweight plastic that is safe for contact with food and beverages, it is used around the world.

While it is fully recyclable, more than 1.5 billion pounds of used PET bottles are recovered in the U.S. each year. Meanwhile, adding dyes and colors to the plastic product can complicate the recycling process.

The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) explains that colored bottles may contain pigments that can cause contamination in the PET stream and as a result cannot be included with the transparent bottle stream. As a result, there are added costs incurred when it comes to sorting the colored plastic, therefore they are often turned into single-use items.

In a statement, Coca-Cola said: "Sprite is transitioning from green to clear plastic to increase the material's likelihood of being remade into new beverage bottles."

From August 1, Sprite will shift from the signature green color to clear PET packaging. In addition to the new clear bottles, Sprite is also introducing a new visual identity including a fresh logo and packaging design.

"Sprite's packaging graphics will retain the brand's recognizable green hue and include prominent 'Recycle Me' messaging," said Coca-Cola.

Coca-Cola told Newsweek: "We've been working on this transition for some time. Currently, there is not enough recycled PET (rPET) available to meet industry demand. This transition aims to increase the availability of high-quality, food-grade recycled PET we need to meet our World Without Waste goal of using at least 50% recycled material in our bottles and cans by 2030 globally."

They confirmed that the transition to clear plastic is happening around the world. As of the end of 2021, 47 markets had switched from green to clear and another 70-plus plan to transition in 2022.

'Complicated Feelings'

Online, reactions to the move away from the iconic green have been positive. On Twitter, fans of the iconic carbonated drink shared their thoughts: "My first thought was 'why are they changing something so iconic, this is like Crystal Pepsi' but it turns out the clear bottles are much easier to recycle," said one Sprite lover.

Another Twitter user wrote: "Sprite is the only soda I drink anymore, so I have complicated feelings about losing the iconic green, but I'm glad it's to help save the planet."

But others questioned why this move was only being made now: "They could've been doing this the whole time?" asked one consumer.

"Sprite is ditching green bottles to help with recycling. This sounds more like greenwashing to me than anything else..." wrote another Twitter user.

Alongside the change of the Sprite bottles, Coca-Cola announced that more of their green-colored packaging will shift to clear plastic over the next year, including Fresca, Seagram's, Mello Yello and Dasani.

Last month, shocking footage of a beach in Guatemala outraged viewers showing the true impact of plastic waste on our planet.

Video shot at the estuary of the Rio Motagua, a 300-mile-long river that flows from the western Guatemalan highlands to the eastern coast border with Honduras, is reported to be one of the most polluted rivers in the world.

UPDATE 07/29/22 09:45 a.m.: Additional comment from Coca-Cola added.