News
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners trials packaging-free drinks technology in Spain
26/07/2021
Sustainability |
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Consumers in Spain can now pour and pay for drinks themselves as part of a European-first trial of a beverage dispensing system by Innovative Tap Solutions (doing business as Pour My Beverage)
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Trial is part of Coca-Cola Europacific Partners’ commitment to investing and innovating in refillable and dispensed delivery models to reduce packaging
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Coca-Cola Europacific Partners has a 25% stake in US-based Innovative Tap Solutions through its multi-million Euro innovation investment engine, CCEP Ventures
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) will take the next step towards packaging-free alternatives for consumers with the launch of a pilot of a new drinks dispensing technology by Innovative Tap Solutions (ITS) in Spain.
ITS technology will enable restaurants, cafes, offices, stadiums and other venues to offer some of the world’s most popular beverage brands in CCEP’s portfolio via self-service taps. Through this system, consumers can refill their own drinks and pay for the quantity served themselves, directly through the tap.
The self-pour, self-pay technology offers consumers a convenient packaging-free delivery method for their drinks, while also cutting down queues, reducing the need for unnecessary contact, and freeing up serving staff – features that are beneficial as COVID-19 restrictions lift.
ITS, which is new to Europe, will be piloted with CCEP customer Restalia[1] – a leading Spanish multinational catering group – and Aspro Parks – one of the biggest European companies specialising in theme parks, water parks, zoos, and leisure centres.
The first ITS devices have been installed in Restalia’s 100 Montaditos restaurant at Centro Comercial TresAguas shopping centre, located in Madrid, and at Aspro Parks’s Palmitos Park and Aqualand Maspalomas, in Gran Canaria.
This initiative represents another step forward in CCEP’s This is Forward[2] Action on Packaging strategy, launched in 2017. CCEP is committed to investing and innovating in refillable and dispensed delivery models to reduce packaging where it can and eliminate packaging waste, while lowering its carbon footprint as part of its 2040 net-zero ambition. CCEP is exploring and testing the development of a suite of dispensed delivery solutions for a range of environments.
[1] Self-pay option is not currently available in Restalia’s venues – installation to follow at a later date
[2] This is Forward sustainability action plan for Western Europe
“We’re always looking for new and innovative ways for people to enjoy our drinks, thinking beyond the traditional bottle or can, and ITS is a great example of how we’re using technology to help our customers sell and deliver our products in different ways.
“One of the key focus areas for CCEP Ventures is exploring new partnerships and investments to accelerate sustainable packaging innovation and how we can deliver more beverages while using less packaging. ITS is an opportunity for us to explore and test new dispensed and packaging-free delivery solutions and, alongside other steps, create a circular economy model that will help us reduce, reuse and recycle our packaging.”
Ana Martínez, Restalia Corporative Director, said: “The new divisions of Restalia Holding are letting us specialise and reinforce every business area in order to offer better services to our franchisee and customers. The aim is to innovate and study new ways to offer the best service to our customers and franchisees. That is why we wanted to take part in this ITS pilot with Coca-Cola Europacific Partners in 100 Montaditos to accelerate self-service methods with the latest technology.”
Pedro Cantero, Palmitos Park Director, said: “Aspro Parks always works to offer the best experience to our visitors in the most sustainable way. ITS technology and the implementation of this initiative, alongside CCEP, allow us to offer an automatised consumption experience while boosting the circular economy by reducing waste. When tested, our goal is to rollout this system in the rest of Aspro Parks’ facilities.”