VICTORY: Keurig greenwashing the recyclability of their coffee pods

The primary goal of Surfrider's plastic pollution initiative is to focus on source reduction strategies. This includes activating the public through our Rise Above Plastics program and education and outreach, as well as working with businesses to proactively move towards reduced packaging.

When plastic is used, the best alternative is to use recyclable packaging and ensure that the package gets recycled. Unfortunately, determining if certain packaging is in fact recyclable can be difficult, with some producers making false claims about the recyclability of their packaging.

In 2019, Surfrider Foundation Canada volunteers collaborated with the University of Victoria Law Centre and Eco Justice to submit an application of inquiry to Canada’s Competition Bureau asking for an investigation into Keurig Canada’s claims about the recyclability of their coffee pods. In January 2022, the Bureau concluded that Keurig Canada’s claims regarding the recyclability of its single-use coffee pods are false or misleading and arrived at a settlement for Keurig to pay a $3 million penalty and donate $800,000 to a Canadian charitable organization focused on environmental causes. 

The Bureau found that, outside the provinces of British Columbia and Quebec, K-Cup pods are currently not widely accepted in municipal recycling programs. The Bureau also concluded that Keurig Canada’s claims about the steps involved to prepare the pods for recycling are false or misleading in certain municipalities. Keurig Canada’s claims give the impression that consumers can prepare the pods for recycling by peeling the lid off and emptying out the coffee grounds, but some local recycling programs require additional steps to recycle the pods. 

Working to ensure that the packaging we consume is in fact recyclable helps reduce the impact of plastic. Surfrider Foundation Canada applauds the Competition Bureau of Canada for its important investigation into Keurig Canada and considers this a VICTORY. Surfrider defines a victory as a decision by a governing body that protects the coastal and ocean environment, improves coastal access, or both. This settlement improves the management of plastic waste and sends an important signal to producers of packaging that you cannot make false claims about the recyclability of the materials you make without the risk of being exposed.