Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages is reporting success with its "Refillable Glass Bottle Pilot Program," a pilot program in El Paso, Texas, that involves customers returning their glass soda bottles after use to be sanitized, cleaned and refilled.
KDBC CBS 4 News in El Paso said the program is underway at 77 locations across El Paso. It was launched in November of last year. Managers of the program report “an excellent return rate of 74 percent,” and note it has the potential to expand across the Coca-Cola bottler’s entire territory: Texas, Oklahoma and parts of New Mexico and Arkansas.
It serves two markets: customers who consume the drinks at home market and the on-premise foodservice market, for clients such as restaurants. Customers purchase a Coke at a participating location and return the bottle to the store or restaurant after use. The store sends it back to Coca-Cola.
