By Matthew Swigonski
| Published
For decades, Pepsi and Coke have engaged in a bitter and bubbly rivalry, duking it out in an attempt to see which of the two beverage companies is able to come out on top and claim the soft drink throne as their own. But finally, after all of these sugar-filled years, the two companies have something in common that will force them to set aside their differences and work together to defeat a foe. In a lawsuit filed on October 30 in a Los Angeles Superior Court, Los Angeles County has alleged that Pepsi and Coke have purposefully misled the public regarding just how recyclable their plastic bottles are, leading to a negative impact on the environment.
Soft Drinks And The War On Pollution
According to the Coke and Pepsi lawsuit, Los Angeles County argues that the two companies have not only downplayed their role in the increasing pollution across the globe, but impacting the health of millions of people due to the prevalence of microplastics.
In a statement regarding the lawsuit, Los Angeles County supervisor Lindsey Horvath pointedly accused each company of not acting in good faith. “Coke and Pepsi need to stop the deception and take responsibility for the plastic pollution problems your products are causing,” Horvath said. “Los Angeles County will continue to address the serious environmental impacts caused by companies engaging in misleading and unfair business practices.”
Los Angeles County’s lawsuit claims that Coke and Pepsi should be held liable due to the companies’ stranglehold on the bottled beverage market, making up an overwhelming percentage of the plastic pollution currently afflicting many areas in the world, specifically in Los Angeles. As of 2024, Coke owns beverage brands such as Dasani, Fanta, Sprite, Vitamin Water, and Smartwater. Meanwhile, Pepsi currently owns brands like Gatorade, Aquafina, Mountain Dew, and Lipton.
Make Up A Hefty Amount Of Plastic Pollution Combined
According to a recent study by a research team led by data scientist Win Cowger, Coke and its stable of brands are responsible for 11 percent of all plastic pollution plaguing our environment, with Pepsi accounting for an additional 5 percent of the pollution.
Over the last five years, the two beverage companies have been ranked as the world’s top plastic polluters, with Coke continuously owning the top spot. In the research team’s analysis, they concluded that Coke produces around 3.224 million metric tons of plastic annually, with Pepsi producing about 2.5 million metric tons each year.
As of November 2, neither Coke or Pepsi have commented on the allegations inside the lawsuit, though they have rebuffed previous claims that their plastic products were not recyclable. William Dermody, the vice president for media and public affairs for the American Beverage Association, whose members include Coke and Pepsi, denied that beverage companies purposefully mislead the public. “The allegation that our packaging is not and will not be recycled is simply not true,” Dermody said.
Won A Similar Lawsuit In New York
This isn’t the first time that Pepsi or Coke have each faced a lawsuit over the prevalence of their plastic waste polluting the environment. On October 31, Pepsi won the dismissal of New York’s lawsuit accusing the beverage company of polluting the environment with single-use plastic packaging. New York Attorney General Letitia James was seeking to hold Pepsi liable for endangering Buffalo’s water supply by generating 17 percent of the plastic waste found in and near the Buffalo River, but the judge presiding over the case threw the case out, claiming that the pollution was the responsibility of the consumers, not the company to adhere recycling guidelines.
Source: AP News
