Olympic Games sponsor Coca-Cola is under fire for ‘bizarre’ products sold despite organizers’ promise, Doric Sam writes for The Cold Down. Those in attendance witnessed servers “filling plastic reusable, so-called ‘eco-cups’ from 50cl plastic bottles, amassing sacks of empty bottles for recycling.”
Coca-Cola, one of the world’s largest plastics producers, said in a statement prior to the Olympics that it was committed to reducing waste and “supports the Games’ ambitions to reduce single-use plastic,” per the Guardian. The company installed 700 soda fountains and used glass bottles, claiming to reduce single-use plastic for more than half of the 9.6 million drinks sold at the Olympics.
However, in areas where soda fountains could not be installed, a whopping 6.2 million drinks were served to the public from recycled plastic bottles poured into reusable plastic cups — which could be returned in exchange for €2 ($2.20).
“This is not a good showcase for France or Coca-Cola,” Sophie Bussière, the regional councilor and French Green Party spokesperson, said of the plastic cups, per the Guardian. “We really cannot keep ruining magnificent moments of collective celebration such as the Olympics with this type of behavior of environmental delinquents.”
