Danone joins rivals in EU recycling label shift

Coca-Cola (KO), Nestlé, and Danone have agreed to change the recycling claims used on their plastic bottles in the European Union following a dialogue with the European Commission and the Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) network. Danone’s commitments, announced in October 2026, bring it into line with Coca-Cola (KO) and Nestlé, whose dialogues were concluded in June 2025 and February 2026. The changes aim to provide consumers with fair and clear information about the recycling characteristics and environmental benefits of plastic bottles in line with EU consumer law.

Danone will ensure that claims such as “100% recycled plastic” or “100% recycled PET” are clearly limited to the bottle body and explicitly exclude the cap and label. This exclusion must be shown with equal prominence and in the same font size as the main claim. Danone has also committed that packaging labelled as “recycled plastic” will not contain virgin PET scraps or factory off cuts that have not gone through an authorised recycling process under EU regulations.

Under its timeline, Danone must apply label changes on physical packaging within 18 months and update digital marketing and brand websites within three months. The company’s move has been welcomed by consumer advocates who argue that presenting a bottle as 100% recycled or recyclable without clarification is misleading and should stop, along with green imagery suggesting plastic bottles have no environmental impact.

All three companies have agreed to harmonised wording to make their claims more precise. Statements on bottles such as “I am a bottle made from 100% recycled plastic” will be replaced with “This bottle is 100% recycled. Excluding cap and label.” The new wording is intended to provide factually clear and correct information about the composition and recyclability of the packaging.

The companies will also adjust language that may suggest a fully closed recycling loop. Phrases like “Recycle me again” will be replaced with “Recycle me,” so that consumers are not led to believe a bottle has already been recycled before purchase or that it will necessarily be turned into another bottle. Nestlé’s water business, for example, will change the phrase “Let’s meet again!” and may replace it with calls to action such as “Recycle me.”

Beyond specific phrases, the companies have pledged that the overall impression created by labels and marketing will not be misleading about the inherent environmental benefits of plastic bottles. This includes avoiding combinations of recycling claims with other green claims or symbols that could exaggerate environmental advantages. Digital marketing campaigns, including websites and social media channels, are also to be aligned with the new commitments.

The commitments follow a greenwashing alert issued in November 2023 by the European Consumer Organisation, together with member organisations from 13 countries. The alert raised concerns about claims such as “100% recyclable” and “100% recycled,” and the use of green imagery, arguing that these could mislead consumers given limitations in collection infrastructure, sorting effectiveness, and recycling processes, as well as the fact that lids and many labels are not made of recycled materials.

The CPC action has been coordinated under the lead of the Swedish Consumer Agency and the Hungarian Competition Authority. National consumer protection authorities will now monitor how Coca-Cola, Nestlé, and Danone implement their commitments. If the companies fail to comply, authorities may proceed with enforcement measures. The European Commission and the CPC network may also engage with bottling industry associations to promote a level playing field so that all companies in the Single Market follow the same rules on environmental claims.