Soft drinks industry lays out green strategy

The British Soft Drinks Association has unveiled the industry’s long-term sustainability strategy. Its objective will be to reduce the industry’s impact on the environment.

The four key areas of focPaul us are climate change, waste and packaging, water and transport. The objectives have been made in line with the Government’s Food Industry Sustainability Strategy, as well as the targets set by the Food and Drink Federation earlier this year.

BSDA members have agreed to achieve a 30% reduction in CO2 emissions from manufacturing by 2020 compared to 1990 levels. It will also aim to send zero manufacturing waste to landfills from 2015 and contribute to the objectives laid out by Waste and Resources Action Programme’s (WRAP) by aiming to improve the sustainability of soft drinks packaging.

The industry will also address waste water volumes (water not contained in the product) to contribute to a food and drink industry target to reduce water use by 20% by 2020 compared to 2007.

Lastly, it will work to reduce the external impacts of transport by 20% by 2012 compared to 2002.

Paul Moody, BSDA president and Britvic chief executive says: “This strategy represents a bold step forward by the soft drinks industry and will enable us to build on, and further improve our environmental performance. “