Coca-Cola Accelerates Reusable Bottle Initiative

New investments by bottling partners are expanding Coca-Cola’s global refillable glass and PET bottle packaging programs.

In 2024, refillable packaging offered by the Coca-Cola system in multiple markets accounted for 14% of its total beverage sales. (Photo: DANIEL LEAL / AFP via Getty Images)

Since the introduction of the contour bottle in 1916, the bottle has remained an iconic symbol of The Coca-Cola Company. Today, bottles are still the preferred packaging format for millions of consumers, and refillable bottles offer another potential benefit: reducing packaging waste through multiple reuse cycles.

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Reusable refillable bottles are specifically designed for multiple reuse cycles, and their performance varies depending on the packaging material, design, and operating conditions.

Coca-Cola and its bottling partners are expanding the supply of refillable glass bottles and refillable PET bottles in markets that offer both commercial and environmental benefits.

Coca-Cola System is investing in local recycling infrastructure, bottling capabilities, and consumer education to expand the availability of refillable packaging.

Recyclable PET bottles are intentionally made thicker and more durable than single-use PET bottles to withstand repeated washing and refilling.

Coca-Cola bottling partner Arca Continental recently invested $23 million in Ecuador to produce universal bottles and recyclable family-size packaging. (Image courtesy of Arca Continental)

An empty bottle has infinite potential

In 2024, the Coca-Cola system offered refillable packaging in multiple markets, accounting for 14% of its total beverage sales. Reusable packaging includes refillable glass bottles, 1.5-liter and 2-liter refillable PET bottles, and large reusable plastic containers of 3 liters or more.

The company continues to work with bottlers to expand the availability of refillable products worldwide. However, refillable systems require local collection infrastructure, upfront investment, and ongoing support from retailers, consumers, and logistics networks.

Universal bottles gain development momentum.

Many bottlers are streamlining operations by adopting standardized, reusable bottles that can be used across multiple brands.

In Latin America, bottling partner Arca Continental recently invested $23 million in producing universal bottles and family-sized recyclable packaging in Guayaquil, Ecuador. According to Forbes Ecuador, this new production line can handle up to 400 bottles per minute while improving water consumption and energy efficiency.

Fast, flexible, and refillable.

For more than a century, refillable glass bottles have been a staple in French cafés, hotels, and restaurants. In 2023, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) France became the country’s first soft drink supplier to offer its entire beverage portfolio in refillable bottles, including Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta, and Fuze Tea.

The collected bottles are washed and refilled at CCEP’s plant in Grigny, on the outskirts of Paris. After a €146 million investment in modernization and capacity expansion, the plant now has one of Europe’s fastest and most flexible glass bottle production lines.

The Greeni factory can process up to 60,000 refillable glass bottles per hour, and each bottle can be refilled up to 25 times.

Other reusable packaging initiatives include:

Introduce universal refillable bottles in Germany, South Africa, and Vietnam.

HaadThip Public Company Limited, a Thai bottling company, has built a new advanced glass bottle production line.

Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company is investing 12 million euros in Austria to expand its reusable packaging production line.

Conduct consumer awareness campaigns in Brazil and Bolivia to highlight the benefits of refillable packaging.

Together, these measures show how the promotion of refillable packaging depends on local infrastructure, bottler investment, and consumer participation.

Arca Continental advances recyclable packaging

As one of the largest Coca-Cola bottlers in the world, Arca Continental is a model of how bottlers can support reusable refill packaging systems.

The company reported that recyclable packaging accounts for an average of 22.47% of its packaging product portfolio, reaching 42.1% in Argentina, where local consumers show particularly high acceptance of refillable formats.

Arca Continental also expanded its recycling infrastructure by establishing more than 580 collection points across the five countries where it operates. In addition, the company reported that nearly 98% of its packaging, including caps and labels, is recyclable.