Coca-Cola Goes Label-Less for Sprite: A Step toward Sustainability or a Branding Crisis?

Case Code: MKTG475 Case Length: 11 Pages Period: - Pub Date: 2025 Teaching Note: Available

Price: Rs.400 Organization : Coca-Cola Industry : Food & Beverage Countries : United Kingdom Themes: Ethics in Marketing, Sustainability Environmental Sustainability

Abstract Case Intro 1 Case Intro 2 Excerpts

Abstract

Coca-Cola, the American beverage MNC, piloted a new but limited period packaging initiative in the UK, going label-less for its Sprite brand to boost recycling efforts. Coca-Cola temporarily removed the labels from its Sprite (500ml) and Sprite Zero rPET (Recycled polyethylene terephthalate) bottles in the UK from January 2024 through March 2024. Several such initiatives and design changes were executed by Coca-Cola with an eye on reducing packaging waste, avoiding littering, cutting down on the materials used, simplifying the recycling process, etc., as part of its bigger aim of working toward sustainability.

The beverages giant had also been called one of the worst plastic polluters in the world, since it produced roughly around 200,000 plastic bottles every minute. Coca-Cola’s daring experiment of going label-less represented a significant pivot in the ongoing sustainability narrative, as it raised questions about the conventional norms of packaging. However, several environmentalists maintained that it was nothing more than another greenwashing marketing ploy at a time in which sustainability and environmental impact were the predominant market trends. Some analysts expressed the hope that this project could lead to new ideas in packaging technology, promoting the development of alternative designs and materials that would lower environmental impact. Industry watchers were waiting to see whether Coca-Cola's trial would mark a turning point in environmentally friendly packaging or serve as a lesson for others in the industry.

Issues

The case is structured to achieve the following teaching objectives:

• Explain how greenwashing manifests and identify the common greenwashing techniques used by companies.
• Analyze how sustainable packaging solutions can be used to minimize environmental impact.
• Evaluate how reusable packaging can communicate a brand’s commitment to sustainability and enhance its sustainability reputation.
• Design alternative measures companies can adopt to reduce plastic usage and consumption.

Contents

Introduction
Coca-Cola: The Beverages Giant
Coca-Cola & Sustainable Packaging
The ‘Naked For Now’ Campaign
Going Label-Less: The Debate
The Sustainability Perspective
The Branding Perspective
Looking Ahead

Keywords

Coca-Cola; Sprite; Label-less; sustainability; plastic; greenwashing; design changes; packaging waste; recycling; sustainable packaging; brand commitment; sustainability reputation; sustainability campaign; label-free;

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