French environmental group France Nature Environnement (FNE) has filed a complaint against Coca-Cola Europacific Partners France for alleged ‘greenwashing‘ during the recent Paris 2024 Olympics.
FNE claims that the soft drinks giant misled consumers about its environmental commitments during the Games, with Coca-Cola claiming in advance that three quarters of the drinks distributed to consumers would be without single-use plastic containers, highlighting its use of reusable plastic cups.
‘In the midst of the sporting exploits of the Olympic Games, Coca-Cola performed a very sad feat by proposing a well-rehearsed choreography: pour the contents of a plastic bottle into a cup, serve it to a person who then thinks they have an ecological container in their possession, then throw the bottle out of sight,’ FNE said in a statement.
According to the FNE, some six million drinks were served in this manner during the Olympics.
Consumer Code
According to FNE lawyer Anne Roques, this practice may constitute a breach of France’s Consumer Code, which prohibits misleading claims about a product’s environmental impact.
“France Nature Environnement is calling for a judicial inquiry to shed light on whether or not Coca-Cola respected its environmental commitments during the 2024 Olympic Games,” she said.
FNE’s complaint was lodged with the Nanterre Public Prosecutor.
At a global level, Coca-Cola produced more than 3.4 million tonnes of plastic in 2022, equating to 4,250 bottles per second.
Deflecting attention
Axèle Gibert, a waste management expert with FNE, added that Coca-Cola’s focus on recycling as a solution deflects attention from the critical need to curb plastic production.
FNE’s efforts aim to push for stronger accountability and a shift away from reliance on single-use plastics in favour of genuinely sustainable practices.
‘More broadly, FNE wishes to put an end to the impunity of polluting industrialists who present a false ecological image to consumers,’ the group added. Read more here.
