It’s got to be frustrating for the people who come up with packaging design guidelines for sustainability — only to have them ignored.
Case in point: 7UP recently modernized its graphics. As a regular 7UP drinker, I can say, I think the new “effervescent” design works. It’s clean and contemporary. I am happy to buy 7UP in the new packaging.
But …
We live in a world where sustainability and circularity rule. So why, oh, why, are the bottles still tinted green?!
When we asked, Allison Kapp, senior brand manager at Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP), answered, “The brand refresh is specific to 7UP’s visual graphics across the portfolio, and no changes were made to the primary packaging.” Then she added, “We work closely with the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) guidelines to design ‘APR preferred’ packaging that is fully compatible with plastics recycling systems, and our 7UP plastic bottles are recyclable.”
APR Guidelines for Rigid PET explain: “PET properties can be enhanced with colorants, UV blockers, oxygen barriers/scavengers and other additives. Each modification and addition to the base, clear PET in a package must be considered for its effect on the recycling stream.”
“Clear PET is valued for its high transparency and colorless appearance; clear PET has the most value for recycling. The APR does not have quantitative guidance on color values for PET base resin today. However, we do encourage those that specify PET resins to work with their suppliers to identify the best resins available that will result in low color in an initial application, and then have good color stability when the PET is recycled.”
Oh, my.
Yes, tinted PET is still recyclable — as clothing, carpeting, and pallet strap. But its reuse markets for packaging are limited because of the color.
Except …
Maybe KDP could reuse green rPET for new 7UP bottles. Is this in the works? Repeated queries to KDP went unanswered.
In the company’s just released 2023 Corporate Responsibility report, it says, “KDP remains committed to reducing its virgin plastic use by 20% by 2025, achieved in part by incorporating more post-consumer recycled content across its packaging portfolio. In 2023, the Company … incorporated 27% post-consumer recycled content in its packaging portfolio, including continued conversion of Bai and Core Hydration+ products to 100% recycled plastic bottles.”
From what I can tell, both Bai and Core Hydration+ product lines are packaged in clear PET. So they aren’t candidates for green rPET.
