Coca-Cola, Nestlé and Danone Agree to Change "100% Recycled" and "Recycle Me Again" Claims on Plastic Bottles Across the EU

Coca-Cola, Nestlé Waters and Danone have agreed to change the recycling claims printed on their plastic bottles across the European Union, the European Commission said on 22 October. In press release IP/26/2238, the Commission says the commitments follow a dialogue with it and the Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) network, the national authorities that enforce EU consumer law. The action was led by the Swedish Consumer Agency and the Hungarian Competition Authority.

What was wrong with the labels

The case began with a November 2023 alert from the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) about bottling companies. Two kinds of wording were at issue.

• "100% recycled plastic". Claims such as "I am a bottle made from 100% recycled plastic" did not make clear that the cap and label are excluded. The new wording says so, for example "This bottle is 100% recycled. Excluding cap and label". Coca-Cola's own commitments document says its labels carried the clarification "bottle, not label and cap" in a different font; the replacement must use the same font and font size.
• "Recycle me again". The Commission says this gives the false impression that the bottle was already recycled before purchase and can become another bottle again. Companies may still say "Recycle me". Nestlé Waters has also committed not to use wording such as "Let's meet again!".

The companies also commit that a label's overall impression, including other green claims or symbols, will not mislead buyers about the packaging's environmental benefits, and that their websites and social media will follow suit. Each confirms that bottles sold as made from recycled plastic do not count unprocessed scraps of new plastic as recycled material. All three say the commitments are not an admission that their past claims broke the law.

When it changes

The companies have up to 18 months from the date their commitments were accepted to change labels, using up existing stock first, and three months to update online marketing. According to the Commission, the Coca-Cola and Nestlé dialogues concluded in June 2025 and February 2026, and both have already carried out some commitments, notably on digital campaigns. Danone says it will update its digital materials within three months where it has not already done so.

National consumer authorities will monitor the changes and may take enforcement action if the companies fail to comply. The Commission's page on the action adds that the authorities will assess other major bottling companies and, where necessary, require the same commitments of them.

The law behind it

The Commission cites the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, which bars misleading commercial practices, including environmental claims. The Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive, Directive (EU) 2024/825, tightens the rules on greenwashing; member states had to apply it from 27 September 2026.

What it means for you

The Commission does not say which affected bottles are sold in Portugal, and old labels may linger on shelves. When you see "100% recycled", read it as the bottle body unless the label says otherwise.

In Portugal, the Direção-Geral do Consumidor (DGC, Directorate-General for Consumers) is listed by the Commission as the CPC network's single liaison office, and the Autoridade de Segurança Alimentar e Económica (ASAE, Food and Economic Safety Authority) as an authority enforcing the unfair practices directive. The DGC's remit includes supervising advertising and running the Livro de Reclamações (complaints book). To report a claim you think is misleading, use the electronic Livro de Reclamações; the platform brings together the regulators and inspection bodies that handle complaints. For how bottle returns work in Portugal, see our report on unclaimed Volta deposits.