Diet Coke better for the environment than regular

The more environmentally aware drinkers of Coca Cola’s Diet Coke and Coke Zero will be pleased to learn that the manufacture of these products has a lower carbon footprint than the manufacture of regular Coke.

They may not know this however, since Coca-Cola will not display this information on the cans and bottles.

Coca-Cola, working with the Carbon Trust, found that a 330ml can of Coca-Cola in Britain produced 170 grams of carbon but a can of Diet Coke or Coke Zero, also 330ml, has a footprint of 150 grams.

A 330ml glass bottle of regular Coke produces 360 grams.

The study looked at all elements in the production, including distribution and dumping.

It discovered that packaging created 30 to 70 percent of the carbon.

The research also showed that using reprocessed products in the packaging and ensuring the merchandise was recycled when finished further reduces carbon by 60 per cent.

Reprocessing a diet Coke or Coke Zero can would reduce carbon to 85g from 150g.

A spokeswoman for Coca-Cola said that details about the carbon footprints of the 14 products studied would be placed on the website.

It will go on the corporate responsibility page, so that users can view the carbon data together with alternative environmental information such as water use.

The company will consider putting the data on the products if customers insisted on it.

Usually, she said, buyers want to find information about recycling.