USVI Alleges Soft Drink Giants Misled Consumers, Caused Plastic Crisis in Territory

The Government of the Virgin Islands is suing the Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo, and their local manufacturers and distributors for alleged deceptive business practices and becoming public nuisances. The lawsuit claims that the companies have been deliberately fooling their customers into believing that the single-use plastic packaging the products are sold in can be sustainably recycled. As a result, the territory is now drowning in plastic, which is overwhelming waste management systems, threatening ecosystems, and affecting the health of Virgin Islanders. The civil complaint, which also names the Commissioner of the Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs as a plaintiff, says that the soft drink companies are “purposefully manufacturing, bottling, and selling excessive amounts of beverages packaged in single-use plastic bottles without implementing or paying for an environmentally responsible way to dispose of them.” The 42-page document goes on to outline the many known harms ...