Fiji Water transitions bottles to 100% rPET in the EU and UK
FIJI Water, an artesian water from the Fiji Islands, is transitioning its 500 ml and 330 ml bottles to 100% recycled plastic (rPET), excluding caps and labels, in the UK and EU markets starting in Spring 2023. This move is claimed to be a significant step towards reducing plastic waste and replaces nearly 70% of Fiji Water’s projected bottle volume worldwide (per 2023 sales forecast) with recycled material. The company is committed to transitioning its entire bottle portfolio to rPET by 2025.
In addition to introducing 100% rPET bottles, excluding caps and labels, Fiji Water has also invested about FJ$5 million (£1.82 million) in energy efficiency initiatives on the Fijian islands, which includes the use of microturbine energy generation and adopting low-sulphur fuel standards for shipping, reducing sulphur oxide emissions.
Locally in Fiji, the Fiji Water Foundation focuses on sustainability and the preservation of the islands, along with supporting and improving the lives of native Fijians through initiatives such as providing access to clean water, healthcare services, and grants for local schools and organisations, and more. Since 2007, the Fiji Water Foundation has provided funding to large-scale reforestation and conservation efforts to preserve and protect the Sovi Basin, Fiji’s most important forest ecosystem and the largest remaining lowland rainforest, in partnership with Conservation International.
Fiji Water is a division of The Wonderful Company. To date, The Wonderful Company and co-owners Stewart and Lynda Resnick have invested more than $1.3 billion USD (£1 billion) in environmental sustainability initiatives to help fight climate change. This commitment includes the largest ever gift for sustainability research of $750 million (£600 million) to Caltech, and $50 million USD (£40 million) to Technion-Israel Institute of Technology for research and sustainability. A portion of the research will focus on decomposable plastics, along with tackling issues of water, energy, food, and waste in a world confronting rapid climate change. Additionally, The Wonderful Company joined RE100, a global initiative made up of some of the world’s biggest companies, which have all committed to using 100% renewable energy.
