In a recent critique, the environmental organization Oceana has called out Coca-Cola for failing to make adequate progress on its sustainability goals. Despite Coca-Cola's promise to have 100% recyclable packaging by 2025 and to use 50% recycled material by 2030, Oceana argues that the company's efforts, especially in increasing reusable packaging, have stalled. The percentage of Coca-Cola products in reusable containers has remained at 14% since 2022, with a drop from 16% in 2020. This stagnation, according to Oceana, undermines the company's commitment to reducing plastic waste and its overall environmental impact.

Oceana's concerns are particularly pressing given Coca-Cola's prominent position as one of the world's top plastic polluters, as highlighted in the 2023 Break Free From Plastic brand audit. Coca-Cola, alongside other major corporations like PepsiCo and Nestlé, has consistently ranked among the worst offenders in global plastic pollution. Despite testing innovative solutions, such as label-free Sprite bottles, Oceana contends that Coca-Cola's actions fall short of what's needed to address the critical issue of plastic waste.