Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners are piloting film-free beverage multipacks in select stores across France and Germany. The secondary packaging format replaces traditional plastic shrink wrap around large PET bottle multipacks with strategically positioned glue dots that hold the bottles together and a recyclable cardboard carrying handle. Consumers can separate individual bottles by gently twisting or pulling them apart, while the cardboard component can enter standard paper and cardboard recycling streams.
The trial gives Coca-Cola a way to reduce secondary plastic packaging while maintaining the portability and stability consumers expect from multipacks. Testing the format in stores will also provide data on shopper acceptance, packaging performance, and ease of use before broader adoption is considered. For Coca-Cola, the approach expands its portfolio of alternative multipack formats and could help reduce packaging waste while preparing its European operations for evolving sustainability expectations.
Image Credit: The Coca-Cola Co.
What's Driving This Trend
- Film-free Multipacks
- Glue-bonded packaging formats reduce reliance on shrink wrap while preserving the convenience and shelf readiness expected from high-volume beverage bundles.
- Minimalist Secondary Packaging
- Brands are rethinking non-essential packaging layers as lighter, recyclable, and material-efficient formats become stronger signals of sustainability and cost discipline.
- Recyclable Carry Handles
- Paper-based handles paired with adhesive bonding create new room for hybrid packaging systems that balance consumer portability with improved end-of-life compatibility.
Who This Affects Most
- Beverage Packaging
- The shift toward glue-based PET bottle bundling introduces fresh competitive space for suppliers developing scalable alternatives to plastic film.
- Retail Sustainability
- Store pilots for reduced-packaging formats generate valuable insight into shopper behavior, merchandising performance, and acceptance of lower-waste product presentation.
- Adhesive Materials
- Specialized bonding technologies are becoming more relevant as consumer goods companies seek secure, removable, and packaging-light solutions for multipack products.
