Coca-Cola has partnered with Paboco, the paper bottle company, Absolut and Carlsberg, in the quest for more sustainable drink packaging. The companies are set to introduce the first Coca-Cola paper bottle prototype. 

The Coca-Cola research and development center, located in Belgium, is committed to making the soda company’s drink packaging more sustainable. As part of the Paper Bottle Project, their goal is a world without waste, where all packaging materials can be reused or recycled.

According to Coca-Cola EU’s website, “we aim to collect and recycle a bottle or can for every one we sell by 2030, while also substantially reducing our use of virgin packaging materials, and only using packaging materials that are 100% recyclable,” making the new paper bottles part of a major CSR initiative.

While the first generation bottle contains a thin plastic liner, the goal is to make a completely paper-based bottle. The plastic lining is made from recycled materials and is meant to be recycled again.

An Alternative to the Aluminum Can

Coca-Cola and Paboco’s announcement couldn’t come at a more opportune time, considering the steep demand for aluminum cans. Since the pandemic started shifting drinking trends from on- to off-premise (at home) consumption, brewers are selling less kegs and more cans.

As Bobby Vedder, a Certified Cicerone with Powers Distributing, explains it, “what happened during the lockdown is that everyone was drinking at home. The bars and restaurants were closed, so there’s no keg beer being sold and everybody went into full production on packaged beer.”

As the third surge of the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, many municipalities are once again grappling with closing bars and restaurants. Major cities, including San Francisco and Chicago, have again prohibited indoor dining in an attempt to get their case numbers down. These new restrictions are sure to further stress the aluminum supply.

The Slangerup, Denmark-based Paboco defines itself as “a spearhead innovation company with a single purpose: to pioneer the transformation to sustainable bottle packaging.” Founded in 2019, Paboco is a “joint venture between paper packaging material developer BillerudKorsnäs and bottle manufacturing specialist Alpla.”

Absolut Could be Next

In addition to Coca-Cola, the coalition also includes the Carlsberg Group, the Absolut Company, and cosmetics manufacturer L’Oreal.

Absolut Paper is currently being trialed in Sweden and the UK. The bottle is made from a mix of 57 percent paper and 43 percent plastic. The plastic liner is PVC free in addition to being fully recyclable.

Coca-Cola hasn’t hinted yet as to how many of their drinks will be available in these ground-breaking paper bottles. When Topo Chico Hard Seltzer is introduced to US markets early next year, will it perhaps be in the innovative paper bottle?

Hard seltzer is almost always sold in cans at present, but the aluminum industry has been facing major shortages for months. Paboco’s paper bottles represent a sustainable solution. They are still conveniently portable, making them ideal for socially distant outdoor gatherings, yet are lighter and safer than glass.

We can’t wait to try a European style paper bottle Coke (will they still print Santa on them?) and hope that Topo Chico Hard Seltzer isn’t far behind.

Erin Grafton
Latest posts by Erin Grafton (see all)