Environmental claims will change on the labels of plastic bottles from Coca-Cola, Nestlé, and Danone sold in Europe. The three multinational companies have committed to revising certain claims regarding the recyclability of their packaging, following an investigation conducted by the European Commission and national consumer protection authorities after a report by the European Consumer Organizations? Federation (BEUC) in November 2023.
In a press release issued on October 22, 2026, the European Commission details the changes agreed upon by the three groups. These changes apply to both the text printed on labels and the symbols and visuals used to promote the environmental qualities of the bottles.
"100% recycled" claims require clarification
The first change concerns statements referring to a bottle made from "100% recycled" plastic. These statements must now specify that they do not apply to the cap or the label.
The three groups also committed to removing certain phrasing that might lead people to believe that bottles are systematically recycled in a closed-loop system. For example, the slogan ?Recycle me again? will be replaced with ?Recycle me.? The goal is to avoid suggesting that the bottle has necessarily already been recycled and that it can be turned into a new bottle after use.
In addition to these statements, Coca-Cola, Nestlé, and Danone must ensure that the overall design of their labels does not exaggerate the environmental benefits of their packaging. This also applies to the use of eco-labels or graphic representations suggesting recyclability in conjunction with such claims.
The European Consumer Organization (BEUC) specifically criticizes arrows forming a closed loop, green logos, and illustrations evoking nature, which may give a misleading impression of plastic bottle recycling.
Penalties for Noncompliance
The commitments made by the three companies were not made simultaneously. Discussions with Coca-Cola concluded in June 2025, followed by those with Nestlé in February 2026. Coca-Cola and Nestlé have already implemented some of their commitments, particularly regarding their digital communications. Danone is the last of the three companies named in the complaint to agree to change its labeling practices.
National consumer protection authorities will be responsible for monitoring the implementation of these commitments. They will be able to take action if companies fail to comply with them.
The European Commission is also considering expanding its dialogue with industry associations in the bottling sector to ensure that other companies operating in the European market comply with the same requirements regarding environmental claims.
