Companies belonging to the Coca-Cola group have agreed to develop and implement a nationwide campaign to raise consumer awareness about the practical steps involved in recycling PET bottles, the Hungarian Competition Authority (GVH) said on Monday.
The GVH recalled that it launched a competition investigation in the summer of 2024 into environmental claims concerning PET bottles, including against several Coca-Cola companies. The authority initially suspected that claims used on the labels and in commercial communications for Naturaqua mineral water could have misled consumers.
The investigation involved Coca-Cola HBC Magyarország Ltd, Coca-Cola Magyarország Szolgáltató Ltd, The Coca-Cola Company and SA Coca-Cola Services NV.
During the proceedings, the companies demonstrated that the bottles concerned, as well as their caps and labels, were technically 100 per cent recyclable. The GVH, however, raised concerns that the labels and commercial communications highlighted this positive attribute without addressing the environmental impact of the product and its packaging.
The authority therefore considered that the communications could have presented the overall product as more environmentally friendly than it actually was.
To address the concerns, the companies submitted a detailed package of commitments, which they expanded in line with recommendations from the GVH. They agreed to launch a major advertising campaign in Hungary aimed at encouraging consumers to help recycle PET bottles and improving their knowledge of the practical opportunities for recycling in the country.
The companies also agreed not to use the phrase ‘100 per cent recyclable’ in connection with Naturaqua products for a specified period.
According to the GVH Competition Council, the commitments are suitable for addressing the authority’s concerns. The campaign will go beyond bottled mineral water and cover bottled beverages more broadly, potentially increasing consumer awareness across the PET bottle market.
The Competition Council therefore closed the investigation without determining whether a legal violation had occurred and ordered the companies involved to fulfil their commitments. The GVH will later monitor their implementation through a follow-up investigation.
The case also marks the closure of the authority’s final investigation concerning PET bottles launched in the summer of 2024. The GVH previously closed proceedings against Fonte Viva Ltd and Szentkirályi Magyarország Ltd, which likewise resulted in educational and corrective measures.
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