The labels for Sprite and Sprite Zero will be taken off on-the-go bottles temporarily as part of a limited trial aimed at streamlining the recycling process.
The goal of this experiment is to simplify the recycling of Sprite bottles and minimize the consumption of packaging materials. Yet, it will also serve as a test to assess how well consumers recognize Sprite’s bottles, given that branding on labels is a crucial factor in distinguishing products on the shelf. Product and nutritional details will be laser-engraved on the back of the bottle.
Javier Meza, the European vice-president of marketing for Coca-Cola’s parent company, highlights that although the design alteration might seem uncomplicated, it signifies a significant marketing shift. He suggests that this experiment has the potential to influence broader, lasting transformations in how brands engage with their consumer base, emphasizing the potential impact on the communication strategies between brands and consumers in the long term.
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In 2022, the Coca-Cola Company announced a global initiative to bolster the Sprite brand’s presence and unleash its full potential through a unified approach. This strategy yielded significant household penetration gains, making Sprite the top-performing fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) brand worldwide, as reported by Kantar.
Notably, this move to remove labels from beverages is not unprecedented for Coca-Cola; similar trials have taken place in Asian markets like South Korea and Japan, and in September 2022, the company introduced label-free bottles for its Swiss water brand Valser.
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Evian, a water brand owned by Danone, has previously introduced a range of bottles without labels. This initiative aligns with the trend of label-free packaging seen in the beverage industry.
