Coca-Cola is facing accusations of greenwashing, a deceptive tactic that makes it appear as though a company is making eco-friendly changes when, in reality, it’s not.
The claims stem from the company’s original plan of using 25 percent reusable packaging by 2030. That initiative, however, appears to have been sidelined as evidenced by the fact that the page the pledge was hosted on was deleted some time in late November.
Coca-Cola informed the world that it would go green by selling at least 25 percent of its products in refillable or returnable bottles, mainly aimed at its freestyle machines. There was also a goal of eliminating waste in its packaging, which has since magically dipped from 50 percent to 35-40 percent, The Guardian reported.
Coca-Cola’s Dec. 2 statement does not mention its prior goals. However, after adjusting its previous claims, it has extended its goals to 2035. This time, Coca-Cola aims “to improve water security in high-risk locations, reduce packaging waste, and decrease emissions.”
“We remain committed to building long-term business resilience and earning our social license to operate through our evolved voluntary environmental goals,” stated Bea Perez, Executive Vice President and Global Chief Communications, Sustainability & Strategic Partnerships Officer at The Coca‑Cola Company. “These challenges are complex and require us to drive more effective and efficient resource allocation and work collaboratively with partners to deliver lasting positive impact.”
While the company appears to remain focused on improving its packaging and making progress in its green efforts, the shifting of the goalposts is exactly why greenwashing claims are present.
Many companies worldwide are making similar initiatives. Transparency and the execution of timelines are ultimately the most important aspects of these plans. Lego, for example, has announced its move to reduce plastic in its bricks.
Everyone appreciates when businesses are forward-thinking and transparent with their plans to help the environment. What people don’t appreciate, though, is being told one thing only to find out something else is happening. We’ll eventually see whether Coca-Cola follows through with its new, slightly less lofty claims—but we still have quite a few years to wait!
The post Coca-Cola, One of the World’s Biggest Polluters, Reduced Its Eco Goals. Shocker. appeared first on VICE.
The post Coca-Cola, One of the World’s Biggest Polluters, Reduced Its Eco Goals. Shocker. appeared first on VICE.
