“Bring back plastic straws”: why juice brand Capri-Sun is launching a petition in the name of… ecology

“Bring back recyclable plastic straws for Capri-Sun: make recycling easier for everyone!” says the petition launched by the beverage brand Capri-Sun, with the aim of marketing their plastic straws again to make it easier to drink their famous fruit juice bottles.

The petition, signed by more than 140,000 people, according to the brand, claims that the new straw integrated into the beverage’s packaging “does not facilitate recycling” or consumption of the product. Capri-Sun is calling for a step back from European regulations related to the ban on plastic straws (in force since 2021).

Until this regulation was implemented, Capri-Sun packaging included a thin plastic straw that allowed you to pierce a lid to drink them. Now, it is a recyclable cardboard straw, which is not as effective.

A real environmental impact

The impact of these plastic straws is visible on the beaches, as the association points out, and has its share of responsibility in the pollution of the oceans and the extinction of certain marine species, due to the mass of microplastics found in the water.

While 6 billion disposable water bottles are produced each year by the manufacturer, 1 million signatures for its petition would allow Capri Sun to launch a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) and thus ask the European Commission to legislate.

The UFC-Que choisir (consumer association) has been denouncing the petition launched since Monday. It describes the initiative as a “whim”, and emphasizes the significant consequences of such an exemption on the environment. “With this petition, Capri-Sun is exposing the little care it has for the environmental issues of our time”, it denounces. “They represent the vast majority of plastic waste found on the coast and at sea in Europe”, adds the NGO Surfride interviewed by our colleagues.