The Supply Chain Idea Making Coca-Cola & Sprite Sustainable

Supply chain sustainability has become a critical consideration for beverage manufacturers, as the industry grapples with the environmental footprint created through plastic pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

Organisations are developing innovative solutions to transform their logistics and packaging operations.

One of the latest examples involves DS Smith, Krones and Coca-Cola HBC, which have collaborated to pioneer a recyclable packaging solution that could reduce single-use plastics throughout the drinks supply chain.

Innovative corrugated cardboard solution

DS Smith has developed the Lift Up, a corrugated cardboard handle designed specifically for 1.5-litre bottles of soft drinks.

This fully recyclable, fibre-based alternative to traditional plastic shrink wrap for bottle multipacks represents a shift in how materials flow through the beverage supply chain.

The design optimises material usage while reducing environmental impact across the distribution network.

Beyond its sustainability credentials, the Lift Up offers enhanced product visibility through a paper label wrapped around the bottles, creating a 360° branding opportunity.

For consumers navigating retail environments, the ergonomic handle provides a comfort-focused carrying solution that could improve the end-user experience whilst supporting circular economy principles.

Sustainable manufacturing process integration

The development of Lift Up involved close collaboration between DS Smith and Krones, a packaging machine manufacturer specialising in paper-based packaging solutions.

This partnership ensured the design could be integrated seamlessly into existing production and distribution systems.

According to Krones, the manufacturing method could reduce overall energy consumption by 58% during the packaging production process, representing a substantial efficiency gain across the upstream supply chain.

This energy reduction demonstrates how supply chain partners can work together to minimise environmental impact at the manufacturing stage, before products enter the distribution network.

Supply chain partnership impact

Coca-Cola HBC's partnership with DS Smith to replace plastic shrink wrap packaging with Lift Up cardboard handles exemplifies how strategic supplier relationships can drive sustainable transformation.

The companies launched a trial in Austria, with the new packaging distributed to supermarkets across the country in 2023.

Both organisations share objectives for packaging solutions designed to be 100% recyclable while using minimal material.

This alignment affects emissions across both companies' operations, resulting in reduced carbon footprints throughout their packaging and manufacturing supply chains.

The transition to recyclable packaging could help Coca-Cola HBC save approximately 200 tonnes of plastic annually, demonstrating the tangible environmental benefits of sustainable procurement decisions.

Stefano Rossi, CEO of Packaging Solutions Division at DS Smith, says: "We are proud to partner on this innovative packaging solution, driving out unnecessary waste and single use plastic.

"Collaboration with our partners Coca-Cola HBC and Krones is key to reducing single use plastics and delivering innovative changes at scale. We hold sustainable design at the heart of what we do as a company, and this is a shining example of the opportunity for innovation in packaging to lead the way to a more sustainable future for manufacturers, retailers and consumers."

Circular economy integration

Coca-Cola HBC, responsible for bottling and distributing Coca-Cola products across 28 markets in Europe and Africa, has embedded sustainability within its supply chain strategy through its Mission 2025 commitments.

These set measurable targets across climate, packaging and water, with aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2040 and create a net positive impact on biodiversity in critical value chain areas by 2040.

The company has already reached nine of its 18 targets ahead of 2025, including decreasing direct carbon emissions by 58% compared with its 2017 baseline and making 100% of primary packaging recyclable.

The DS Smith partnership advances these goals by lowering the carbon footprint across the entire value chain whilst supporting circularity principles, as the cardboard Lift Up packaging is 100% recyclable and can be reprocessed into new products.

Marcel Martin, Chief Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Officer for Coca-Cola HBC, says: "This is the first ever packaging solution of its kind for 1.5-litre multipacks of Coca-Cola, Fanta and Sprite.

"It's the result of our entrepreneurial mindset, an absolute belief in collaborating with trusted partners and our focus on reaching net zero emissions by 2040. We'll continue to innovate, collaborate and invest so we can continue to deliver our drinks in sustainable ways."