Coca-Cola's Green Coke Deception

The Evil Truth Behind the Green Hoax Coke Ads...

You may have noticed that in many countries around the world, fizzy drinks are advertised in glass bottles, when in fact they are mostly single-use plastic bottles.

It is a strategic move by carbonated beverage manufacturers to create the impression that they are not contributing to the problem of plastic pollution and to circumvent regulations. Environmentally friendly refillable glass bottles are rare in many countries, even in the US, the home of carbonated drinks. Before single-use packaging became widespread, refillable bottles were widely used and benefited the environment.

We now offer an insider's perspective on how Coca-Cola, one of the world's leading brands, is using GREEN DECEPTION strategies to level up its glass-bottle advertising.

• When was the last time you saw a carbonated drink advertisement?
• Was it in a glass or plastic bottle?
• When you saw a soft drink in a plastic bottle, did you think of the above?
• Or did you think of something else when you saw the green bottle?

Annie Leonard, Founder of The Story of Stuff Project, offers answers to these questions in a short video. Showing two different bottles, glass and plastic, she asks "Which one comes to mind when you think of Coca-Cola?" and emphasizes the environmental and social impacts of our consumption habits. We have prepared a summary of this important speech for you in the hope of raising awareness...

"Hi, I'm Annie Leonard. I've spent years researching something called greenwashing. Greenwashing is when companies try to make a product seem more sustainable than it really is. This is often done through advertising. Coke, one of the world's most ubiquitous brands, is also one of the world's biggest advertisers. It spends $4 billion a year on advertising."

"That's 50 cents for every person on the planet. Recently, we asked our community members around the world to send us photos of Coke ads they'd seen. And guess what? These ads showed Coke in glass bottles. In fact, when we analyzed all the pictures, we found that Coke was five times more likely to use glass bottles in their ads than in their actual packaging. Coincidence? I don't think so. A company that spends as much on advertising and image as Coke does doesn't leave anything to chance."

"We're talking about a company that produces one-fifth of the world's plastic bottles and has been voted the world's biggest plastic polluter six years in a row. So why would Coke want to showcase its products in glass bottles? One reason is nostalgia. Displaying an old glass bottle not only avoids the appearance of plastic. It takes Coke back to a time before widespread plastic pollution. Secondly, it allows Coca-Cola to distance itself from plastic. "We're talking about a company that produces a fifth of the world's plastic bottles and has been named the world's biggest plastic polluter six years in a row. So why would Coke want to display its products in glass bottles? One reason is nostalgia. Displaying an old glass bottle not only avoids the appearance of plastic. It takes Coke back to a time before widespread plastic pollution. Secondly, it allows Coca-Cola to distance itself from plastic..."

"Let's face it, people are fed up with all the plastic waste polluting our oceans, parks and communities. Coke knows this and wants to pretend it has nothing to do with this mess. And third, Coke is giving a green light to the plastic problem to avoid regulation. This is really important..."

"Coke's use of glass bottles in its advertising is a strategic ploy designed to reassure the public and policymakers that there is no plastic problem to fix. There is no need for governments to step in and impose higher environmental standards..."

"But glass bottles should be used in real life, not just in advertising. The bottle is designed to be returned, washed and refilled dozens of times. In fact, in many parts of the world, refilling is still the norm. But refillable glass bottles like this one are extremely rare in the US, the world's largest consumer market. In 2022, Coke said it would make 25% of its products globally refillable by 2030. But recent reports show that Coke's use of plastic packaging has actually increased, while the use of refillable containers has decreased..."

"It is also worth noting that Coke did not say it would bring refillable packaging back to the US. So we can't really take Coke at its word. That's why we need to enact policies that reduce the use of plastic packaging by mandating more refillable bottles. Some states are proposing new laws that would require companies like Coke to put more of their products in refillable glass. Bottle bills or deposit return systems provide the infrastructure to take back, clean, refill and return bottles to the store..."

"We know it works because Coke is doing it successfully in countries around the world. In fact, before the move to single-use packaging, Coca-Cola bottlers in the US were taking back 96% of their empty bottles for refill. 96%! Now almost every bottle is returned..."

"Switching to refillable bottles will make a big difference to the problem of plastic pollution and slow the climate crisis. It will reduce waste, save energy and create jobs. It's a win-win-win... So let's pass refill laws and hold Coke and every other beverage company to account. It's time to bring back refills," he concludes.

As Guwuste, we can say the following;

Companies that offer their carbonated drinks in plastic bottles should be regulated to encourage the reuse of glass bottles. If politicians and their administrators are slow to act on this issue, the intervention should be in the hands of consumers. Consumers need to raise awareness and insist that they prefer glass bottles when shopping, and if they do not, they should ask the store official "we want glass bottles now". As this behavior becomes widespread, companies will be forced to switch to glass bottles.

Guwuste.com
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