10 signatures reached
To: MICHAEL GOVE, MP
Soft drinks jackets on bottles
Soft drink companies should declare precisely which materials they are using in plastic bottle packaging - I refer specifically to the jackets around plastic bottles, which state the brand name and the drink’s ingredients. A number of soft drinks companies, including Lucozade Rubens Suntory LTD and Britvic, who produce ‘Lucozade’ and ‘Purdie’ respectively, cover their plastic bottles in a glossy jackets.
Why is this important?
I was told today by one soft drinks company, (who I contacted for information about their products’ jackets), that they didn’t have that information to hand. They then phoned me back, to say, “it’s entirely recyclable”. Well, if it is, surely that info should be added to the jackets. I was also told, by the same person, that, just as I wouldn’t recycle a baked beans tin without washing it first, their drinks’ jackets should be removed BEFORE recycling their plastic bottles. What? A simple line of text on the jacket about its material would suffice. Lucozade Rubens Suntory LTD, Britvic and others need to be more transparent.
It’s vital for consumers to not only be aware of their drink’s contents, but also what the entire packaging is made of, for recycling purposes and to make an informed choice.
Companies should declare precisely which material the jackets are made from, giving consumers the information needed when selecting a drink.
In this age of environmental awareness and increased environment responsibility, consumers require to be better informed. We have a moral and ethical right to know if the jackets are entirely safe to recycle, (and, conversely, if they are potentially damaging to the environment and wildlife). And ... if we’re supposed to peel off the jackets and recycle the bottle and jacket separately, then this needs to be stated on the jacket. It certainly should not be a matter of guess work, assuming because the plastic bottle is recyclable, then the jacket must be too!
