Rising recyclability demand pushes beverage makers to switch

As recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) containers can drastically lower carbon emissions and help promote a circular economy

the consumer demand for recyclable packaging is on the rise, forcing more Australian beverage manufacturers to switch from PET to rPET bottles, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

Suneera Joseph, Consumer Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Australia has set ambitious targets to build a circular economy. The National Packaging Targets envisages 100% of packaging produced in Australia to be reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2025. PET bottles are one of the major contributors to single-use plastic waste in Australia, as it accounted for 86.9% of rigid plastics unit volumes in 2021*.”

To meet the packaging targets, beverage producers are in a race to adopt rPET bottles and make their packaging portfolio more eco-friendly. Major soft drinks producers such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and Asahi have already adopted 100% rPET bottles for their popular brands.

Packaging manufacturers are also developing new bottle designs to support the transition to rPET. For instance, the KHS Group launched Loop LITE, a fully recyclable, lightweight, 100% rPET bottle with an inner glass lining and a tethered cap. Joseph adds: “Beverage makers are incentivized by the growing consumer interest in sustainable packaging. Recyclability has become a key factor that Australians are actively looking for when making product purchases.”

In GlobalData’s Q3 2022 survey**, 74% of Australian respondents said that recyclable packaging claims were a niceto-have factor or essential/key driver of their product purchases, compared to 68% in Q2 2022***.

Joseph concludes: “This indicates opportunities for beverage brands to build consumer loyalty through ecofriendly product packaging.”