Bottle caps are common plastic waste found on beaches, and animals like sea turtles, seabirds, and dolphins may ingest them and die. In 2021, the EU passed the Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUP), which aims to reduce the use of plastics and requires manufacturers to modify beverage packaging by July 2024 so that bottle caps can be recycled along with plastic bottles.

European soft drink manufacturers initially resisted this regulation, criticizing it for increasing plastic usage and production costs. However, Coca-Cola compromised and introduced the new packaging with attached bottle caps ahead of schedule in 2022.

Coca-Cola has committed to a "World Without Waste," aiming to collect and recycle or reuse every bottle and can it sells by 2030. They state that the design of attached bottle caps is a significant milestone in this commitment. Agnese Filippi, the Ireland Country Manager, pointed out that this small change could have a huge impact by ensuring that every bottle cap enters the recycling system.

Consumer reactions to the new design have been mixed. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, some people complained about the caps hitting their faces, while others called it the worst design. British podcast host Benny James expressed his annoyance with the design, stating that he has now switched to drinking canned beverages.

Even though the caps are labeled with "I am attached to recycle together," the effect has been less than ideal. Consumers who don't understand the purpose of the design have made efforts to twist the caps off. Some netizens have humorously renamed the message to "I'm attached to get in the way!"

However, many consumers are pleased with the design, agreeing that it makes losing bottle caps less likely. In fact, the EU has not mandated a specific design to be used. A Swiss mold maker has introduced EasyCap, where the connecting strap between the cap and the bottle is longer. This allows the cap to be held down with a finger while drinking, preventing it from hitting the nose.

Bottle cap manufacturers have seen new business opportunities, with Alpla launching four designs of attached caps—RELAX, SOUL, DANCE, and JAZZ. For example, in the SOUL version, the cap can bend backward up to 160 degrees, and a small plastic tab on the cap locks into the bottle threads, ensuring it doesn't interfere while drinking.

Swiss company Corvaglia has also introduced three designs, one of which can fix the cap at a 180-degree opening angle, preventing it from obstructing drinking or pouring. Another design goes beyond 180 degrees for even greater convenience. The mineral water brand Crystal Geyser has launched the EZ Open Cap, which can be flipped back and locked with just one hand.

Reference:

*Euronews（2024.5.25），A new tethered design for plastic caps on drinks bottles has some consumers in a huff, but what's behind the move?
*Coca cola（Coca‑Cola），Coca‑Cola introduces plastic bottles with caps attached across the island of Ireland to boost collection and recycling
*The Wall Street Journal（2024.5.16），Coke's Attached Bottle Caps Keep Hitting Soda Drinkers in the Face
*Packaging insights（2021.7.15），Alpla equips Vöslauer water bottles with “dancing” tethered cap for EU SUPD compliancy
*ALPLA（2020.4.9），Tethered caps: firmly attached to the bottle
*ALPLA（2021.7.14），Vöslauer brings a tethered cap to the market

Source: 
Environmental Information Center