In 2018, Evian announced its ambitious plans to become parent company Danone group’s first-ever brand to use 100% recycled plastic bottles, in addition to becoming fully circular by the year 2025.
In Evian’s latest steps towards achieving sustainability, the brand has unveiled its new label-free bottle made from 100% recycled plastic (PET). The bottle’s sleek design is the first of its kind to feature no label and has been created via Evian’s innovative technology. This same technology aims to reduce the use of virgin plastic and will enable PET waste to be recycled indefinitely, without the quality diminishing.
When a plastic bottle eventually finds its way into a recycling plant, the plastic label attached is usually not recycled. To combat this, Evian eliminated the label entirely and has instead engraved its name, along with other details, into the bottle itself. According to Shweta Harit, global brand vice president at Evian, the process of eliminating the label took almost two years. Evian, of course, had to ensure the packaging met high quality and safety standards during the process of forming these new bottles.
“The benefit of being label-free is that our new bottle is a circular packaging solution, meaning there is no waste and all plastic is kept in the economy,” shared Harit. Removing the plastic label also becomes a sustainable solution for e-commerce, as there will be no need for barcode labeling.
Instead of Evian’s signature light blue cap, the new bottle will feature an “Evian pink” cap. Unfortunately, the pink cap is not made from 100% recycled plastic but from plastics designed to help preserve the water quality. Rest assured, the cap is still recyclable.
Evian’s new label-free 400ml bottle will be distributed in select hotels, restaurants, and hospitality venues in France starting early July. The bottle will then become available worldwide starting in September 2020.
Ultimately, Evian wants every bottle it makes to end up back in the recycling system in a closed-loop. Currently, only around 10 percent of plastic packaging is recycled globally. As the world’s third-largest bottled mineral water brand, Evian has also stopped using any new plastic produced by petroleum combustion as part of its goal in forming a circular model.
