South Africans buying Coca-Cola beverages will now get a R9 deposit when they return the new PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic bottles. The company piloted the project in the Eastern Cape in January, as part of its "world without waste" initiative.
This is what you need to know:
Provinces getting the bottles
The returnable bottles will now also be rolled out in north Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo, after the project first began in the Eastern Cape. MD of Coca-Cola Beverages SA Velaphi Ratshefola said the pilot was a huge success in the province as people switched to the new bottles which they returned after use.
The bottles will be rolled out to more parts of the country over a five-year period.
Identification
The bottles are identifiable by the 'Returnable' green sticker on the front of the bottles. Consumers will get R9 for each bottle they return. The company says the new design is to ensure that PET bottles are compliant with the global standards for design, hygiene and safety.
What happens when the bottle is returned?
It is cleaned, refilled and the beverage sold. Ratshefola says when the bottle reaches its non-usable cycle, it will be recycled and repurposed for another PET cycle.
Recommended retail price
In January, the company said the recommended price for the 2L less sugar bottle is R15, excluding the R9 deposit. Other brands such as Fanta and the Coca-Cola no sugar and Sprite must retail for R12, excluding the R9 deposit.
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