Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) announced that its Snapple and Core brands are transitioning to bottles made of 100% recycled (rPET) plastic, eliminating approximately 46.3 million pounds of virgin plastic used by KDP annually. Snapple is available now in 100% recycled-plastic, 16-oz. bottles in West Coast markets; it will continue to roll out in phases across the country through early next year. In addition, with production underway, Core bottles made from 100% recycled plastic will be on shelves beginning in early 2021.

“Transitioning to recycled plastic bottles for two of our key brands is a critical next step in Keurig Dr Pepper’s commitment to a circular economy,” said Monique Oxender, Chief Sustainability Officer. “This important portfolio evolution enables us to offer consumers their favorite beverages, while meeting their desire for more sustainable packaging.”

In response to PlasticsToday’s inquiry regarding adequate supply, KDP responded that the PET being used for both Snapple and Core bottles will be supplied from post-consumer sources. Since 2015, KDP has committed more than $30 million to collaborative projects and partnerships to support the circular economy in North America. As part of that commitment, KDP, along with its beverage industry peers, invested $100 million last year in the American Beverage Association’s Every Bottle Back initiative to improve recycling and help increase the supply of available recycled PET for reuse, said the company.

The first three grants alone issued by the project will help almost 350,000 households across Texas, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin recycle nearly 38 million new pounds of PET plastic over 10 years that will be turned into new bottles. KDP will continue to engage in collaborative projects such as these to increase the available supply of quality rPET and will remain committed to securing the needed recycled materials to meet its goal of 30% post-consumer recycled packaging across its portfolio by 2025, the company told PlasticsToday.

Across KDP’s portfolio of more than 125 brands, 20% of the materials used in packaging is currently made from PCR content. Transitioning to recycled plastic in Snapple and Core bottles will increase that total by approximately four percentage points, moving the company closer to achieving its goal.

Each Snapple and Core rPET bottle will feature a How2Recycle label, an industry-leading standardized labeling system that clearly communicates recycling instructions to consumers.