Sustainability claims from some of the world’s top brands abound, but to what extent are they meeting their pledges? A new report by ReSource: Plastic, Transparent 2023, shares the plastic progress of its nine members: Keurig Dr Pepper, McDonald’s Corporation, Procter & Gamble (P&G), Starbucks, the Coca-Cola Company, Amcor, Colgate-Palmolive, Kimberly-Clark, and CVS Health.
Under the leadership of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), ReSource brings together a consortium of companies and organisations committed to tracking and annual reporting on their plastic footprint. The 2023 report is the fourth annual edition and compiles data for the 2022 reporting period.
Most plastic across the members’ aggregate portfolio is derived from virgin fossil-based inputs, totalling 87.9%, equivalent to 6.37 million metric tons. This is 76,900 metric tons or 1.2% less than in 2021. Across ReSource members, the use of virgin fossil-based content ranges from 82.3% to 100%.
Of the nine members, five decreased their total virgin plastic tonnage between 2022 and 2021. Amcor’s tonnage saw the sharpest decline (11.5%), from 2,230,000 in 2021 to 1,970,000 in 2022. Colgate-Palmolive, Keurig Dr Pepper, Starbucks, and CVS Health saw declines of 7.2%, 5.8%, 4.0%, and 2.5%, respectively. Kimberly-Clark saw the sharpest increase, 21.8%. Coca-Cola increased its virgin tonnage from 2,770,000 in 2021 to 2,950,000 in 2022 (6.5%), P&G by 2.9%, and McDonald’s by 2.9%.
Recycled content increased to 12% of the aggregate portfolio in 2022, up from 10.2% in 2021. The use of recycled content ranges from unknown (reported as 0% by CVS Health) to 17.7% across ReSource members.
In individual terms, Amcor and Coca-Cola reported the largest increase in use of recycled content, after Keurig Dr Pepper which saw a sharp increase from 11.5% in 2021 to 17.7% in 2022.
Amcor increased its use of recycled content from 5.6% in 2021 to 8.4% in 2022. The Australia-based company has committed to increase its use of PCR resins across its portfolio from a target of 10% by 2025 to 30% by 2030. It expanded its portfolio of recycle-ready products, with 94.9% and 47.8% of its rigid and flexible plastic portfolios, respectively, sold as recycle-ready by weight during the reporting period. On reuse, Amcor provides reusable PET bottles and auxiliary, recycle-ready, refill pouches that are interchangeable for several products. Amcor’s containers are designed for 25 loops per beverage bottle.
The Coca-Cola Company increased its use of recycled content from 13.6% in 2021 to 14.9% in 2022. The company targets at least 50% recycled content by 2030. PET bottles made up 99.9% of Coca-Cola’s plastic portfolio, a slight decrease from 2021. Flexibles, which consist of LDPE pouches, made up 0.1% its portfolio, a slight increase from 2021.
Geographically, the world region where ReSource members used the most recycled content was Europe and Central Asia (20%), followed by Latin America and the Caribbean (16%), North America (12%), East Asia and Pacific (7%), Sub-Saharan Africa (6%), Middle East and North Africa (3%), and South Asia (1%). By form, 95% of recycled content was reported in bottles and 4% in other rigid packaging.
Biobased content continues to make up only a fraction of a percent of the aggregate portfolio. In 2022, biobased content comprised 0.3% of the overall plastic footprint, equivalent to 19,700 metric tons. In 2022, 38% of this biobased content was specified as being responsibly sourced, down from 65% in 2021. By region, 72% of biobased content was reported in North America, 22% in East Asia & Pacific, 2% in Europe & Central Asia, and 1% in Latin America & Caribbean, the Middle East & North Africa, and South Asia, and 0% in Sub-Saharan Africa.
