Evidence to support the development of a sustainability roadmap for soft drinks

Defra recognized soft drink consumption was rapidly becoming a mainstream sustainability issue for the UK. However the £15 billion UK soft drink sector lacked a unified environmental impact and reduction strategy.

Anthesis undertook groundbreaking research in order to underpin Defra's sustainability roadmap with robust sector wide data. It emerged the greatest environmental impacts areas include: growing and processing fruit and sugar, packaging materials, refrigeration of goods, and supply chain water use and waste production (incl. consumers).

Defra and the UK soft drinks sector gained clear evidence for the launch of their roadmap on July 1^st 2013. At the time fifty percent of major soft drinks producers or suppliers, including Coca-Cola and Britvic, signed up, and an aim for a further twenty-five percent to sign by the end of the year.

Gavin Partington, the British Soft Drinks Association's Director General, said:

"Companies in our sector are among those with ambitious targets to reduce their environmental impact and the sustainability roadmap provides a great opportunity to extend best practice and deliver long term cost savings."

"We are pleased that companies have already signed up to support the Roadmap process, and we look forward to working together to minimize the environmental impact of the sector."

Specific recommendations include:

• Reducing the amount of water used in manufacturing to help limit consumption and save money;
• Improving refrigeration to boost energy efficiency;
• Using low carbon fertiliser to reduce the footprint of fruit-based soft drinks by as much as 20%; and
• Improving co-operation between manufacturers, suppliers, retailers and waste management companies to improve recyclability and recycling of packaging by consumers.

Dr Richard Swannell, Director at WRAP, said:

"WRAP has been pleased to work closely with Defra, and the soft drinks industry over the last few years to develop the Soft Drinks Sustainability Roadmap. The Roadmap will help the industry tackle the areas where significant savings can be made along the whole supply chain - enhancing the sustainability of the sector and helping secure its future prosperity. This type of collaborative sector working has real business benefits, as proven by our work on the Courtauld Commitment and The Federation House Commitment."

Food Minister David Heath said:

"The soft drinks sector is a business success story, worth over £14 billion to the UK economy and employing over 12,000 people, so it is vital that we work together to improve the environmental performance of the industry."

"Dealing with resources properly is good for business as well as the environment and will help boost the economy and create jobs."

"Our voluntary agreement is about ensuring every step of the production process is efficient, saves energy and reduces waste."