Why Europe’s new tethered bottle caps are a necessary evil

Given the complexities of mass production and the global nature of the beverage industry, companies like Coca-Cola have begun rolling out the tethered caps in non-EU markets, including the United Kingdom, where such regulations are not yet in place.

In other words: sorry, we’re not making totally separate bottles for the British market.

The journey to implement this change has not been without resistance. When the EU first announced the tethered cap requirement in 2018, it faced pushback from major beverage companies.

Major drink brands expressed concerns that the new design would lead to an increase in plastic usage and escalate manufacturing costs. The companies argued that the additional plastic required to tether the cap would counteract the policy’s intended environmental benefits.

Now, as the policy takes effect across Europe, consumers are voicing their dissatisfaction.

Whoever had the genius idea of making bottle caps non removable, I hate you from the bottom of my heart. pic.twitter.com/nRRPEZiPdn

— stormix (@stormix_dev) April 26, 2024

Social media has been flooded with complaints about the practicality of the new design.

Many users report that the tethered caps make drinking awkward, often hitting them in the face, and complicate the process of pouring liquids.

Some have resorted to tearing off the caps, undermining the purpose of the regulation.

Researchers estimate that in 2019, plastic production and incineration released over 850 million tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. With this in mind, the EU is pushing forward with policies designed to nudge consumers toward more sustainable habits, even if it means a degree of inconvenience.

While we’ll likely adapt to a life with tethered caps, this new design stands to solve only one part of the problem – plastic bottle top pollution. Realistically, policymakers need to go further and phase out single use plastics altogether.