Coca-Cola Enterprises announces recycling study

Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) has announced it is to undertake a study on recycling rates.

The study, undertaken in conjunction with the University of Exeter, will observe 10 households over a six-month period with the aim of finding out why recycling rates are so low despite people expressing beliefs towards recycling.

Preliminary research by YouGov suggests that 76 per cent of British consumers claim to “always” recycle plastic bottles at home and 64 per cent view recycling as a “moral and environmental duty”.

However, actual rates do not reflect the results of the aforementioned survey and therefore it is said this results in unnecessary waste and a shortage in recycled PET for manufacturers.

The results of the study, supported by CCE’s ‘Recycle for the Future’ campaign, will observe 10 households over half a year to explore waste and recycling behaviours at home.

The results will be shared with local authorities, NGOs and other businesses with the aim of collectively developing solutions to help improve recycling rates.

Dr. Stewart Barr of the University of Exeter, the university which will partner CCE for the study, said: “Our team has been working on pro-environmental behaviour change for many years.”

“People say they want to be environmentally friendly and want to recycle, but in many cases they don’t,” he added.

Recycle for the Future will unlock the dynamics of household recycling behaviours and allow us to explore collaborative solutions to this challenge with the wider sustainability community. We believe this project will provide real value for other businesses, NGOs and public authorities,” said Joe Franses, CCE’s director or Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability.