PepsiCo Beverages Canada is set to launch 7UP soft drink in bottles made from 100% recycled plastic.
According to the company, the 7UP EcoGreen bottle will reduce the amount of virgin plastic used by approximately 6 million pounds over the course of one year.
This could lead to a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and more than 55% in energy use (based on current 7UP production levels).
The cola maker spent the last three years developing the new eco-friendly bottle, which it said is the first of its kind in North America.
“We are very proud to be first-to-market with this breakthrough for the Canadian beverage sector,” said Manon Lavallee, field marketing manager at PepsiCo Beverages Canada.
The new bottle looks and feels the same as a regular soft drink bottle, and will be produced in numerous PepsiCo manufacturing facilities across Canada.
PepsiCo Beverages Canada would like to use 100% recycled plastic across all of its brands but it’s a question of supply. Currently, the marketplace does not produce enough recycled plastic to allow it, said Lavallee.
Aside from the new EcoGreen bottle, PepsiCo Canada said it uses an average of 10% recycled plastic in its primary soft drink bottles.
PepsiCo in the U.S. made similar moves around enviro-friendly packaging in March when it unveiled a bottle made entirely of plant material.
When asked why PepsiCo Canada decided to develop its own technology rather than partner with the U.S., Lavallee said the company believes in a “holistic approach to pursuing sustainable packaging.”
“We’re extremely proud of the breakthrough innovations we have developed to date, and believe they can work together in the long-term,” said Lavallee. “For several years we have been focused on the research and development of the 7UP EcoGreen bottle – a bottle that has a positive impact on the environment.”
PepsiCo Beverages Canada is supporting the launch of the 7UP EcoGreen bottle with a public relations blitz managed by PraxisPR.
The company plans to introduce a television campaign, point-of-sale materials and a Facebook page in the coming weeks, once the bottle is available in stores.
