Packaging & Recycling

We are determined to pursue our vision of a world without waste.

We are aware that our packaging and its use are at the focus of the current discussion about plastic and plastic waste. Coca-Cola therefore relies on a constructive dialogue and sustainable goals and is committed to being part of the solution. Our ambitious global strategy for this is our vision of a "World Without Waste": By 2030, for every bottle or can that is brought onto the market, the equivalent is to be collected and recycled - worldwide. As part of the World Without Waste strategy, we fulfil our role as an innovation leader in packaging and are constantly working on optimizing existing packaging and finding packaging-free alternatives for our products.

We are increasing our share of reusable packaging.

Coca-Cola HBC Austria currently successfully uses reusable glass bottles for the majority of our brands in the food service and hospitality sector. Refillable premix and postmix containers are available for dispensing systems. Coca-Cola is also available in 0.33 L reusable glass bottles in select grocery stores. Our Römerquelle mineral water has been available in glass bottles in the food retail industry for years. In the past few years, the retail portfolio was supplemented by 1 liter returnable glass bottles from the Coca-Cola, Coca-Cole zero and Römerquelle Emotion brands.

Overall, the portion of reusable bottles – measured based on the production volume – is currently at 11%. Our goal for the upcoming years is to increase this percentage and the commercial availability of our reusable products.

We are currently investing 10 million euros in a new refillable-glass filling line and washing system in Edelstal. With a filling speed of 50,000 bottles per hour, depending on the filling quantity, the capacities for reusable packs of different sizes will be significantly increased.

We turn bottles into bottles.

In order to close material cycles, we use a complex process to add high-quality PET regranulate to our new PET bottles. By the end of 2021, our full range of bottles, that are produced in Edelstal, consisted of  31.5% recycled material.

We are decreasing the material percentage and increasing the recycling percentage.

Our consumers value light and practical bottles. Since April 2018, an even more compact Römerquelle PET bottle with a shortened bottleneck has been on the market. This bottle is up to 3.3 grams lighter per unit.  

We help increase the collection rate.

Together with local partners, such as Altstoff Recycling Austria AG (ARA), Coca-Cola continuously works towards increasing the collection and recycling rates. The recycling plant PET to PET in Müllendorf, founded by Coca-Cola HBC in cooperation with four other beverage producers, is a prime example of the success of these efforts. The collection of PET bottles is essential in order to feed the recycling process and create new PET bottles.

Find out more about PET to PET

With the “RecycleMich” initiative, Coca-Cola Austria, together with its partner Reclay, was able to achieve a solidarity in the Austrian beverage industry with regard to the EU target of a 90% collection rate. The focus is on the RecycleMich app, which rewards correct collection and recycling with attractive prices and helps to increase awareness and commitment in the population.

You can find more about the RecycleMich initiative at: www.recyclemich.at

With the digital incentive system digi-Cycle, developed by Altstoff Recycling Austria AG (ARA) and Saubermacher AG, and the Circular University project of ARA and Johannes Kepler University Linz (JKU), we have been backing further innovative solutions in support of separate waste collection since 2021.

Together we are supporting the further steps that will allow us with the introduction of the deposit system fo,r single-use beverage packaging to successfully start the new chapter by 2025.