Stoney Clear Bottles Mark a Powerful Recycling Shift

Stoney Ginger Beer is replacing its familiar brown PET bottle with clear packaging in South Africa. The phased change began in June 2026 with the 2.25-litre bottle, while other sizes are expected to follow gradually.

The Coca-Cola Company says the drink itself is not changing. Stoney’s distinctive labels and closure colours will also remain, helping shoppers identify the different variants despite the bottle’s new appearance.

What is changing about Stoney’s packaging?

The transition applies to Stoney Ginger Beer Classic sold in plastic PET bottles. Clear 2.25-litre bottles began reaching retailers nationwide in June 2026, although availability may vary as existing stock moves through the supply chain.

Coca-Cola has not published a completion date for the rest of the Stoney range. It has said only that the remaining portfolio will transition over time.

Recent reports from PETplanet and PETnology, both published on 11 August 2026, highlighted the packaging change. The underlying announcement was originally issued by Coca-Cola South Africa on 23 June 2026.

Why is Stoney moving to clear bottles?

Clear PET is generally easier to incorporate into established recycling streams than strongly coloured PET. Once collected and processed, clear material can be used for a wider range of applications because its colour does not restrict the appearance of the recycled product.

The new bottle does not guarantee that every container will be recycled. Actual recovery still depends on disposal, collection, sorting capacity and demand for recycled material. However, designing packaging that recyclers can sort and reuse more readily removes one potential obstacle.

Coca-Cola South Africa describes the transition as an improvement to packaging design and recyclability. The company also expects easier recovery to support activity across South Africa’s waste-collection and recycling value chain.  Stoney clear bottles

Will Stoney Ginger Beer taste different?

No recipe or flavour change has been announced. Coca-Cola says Stoney will retain the same distinctive KWETSA taste associated with the brand.

Only the appearance of the plastic bottle is changing. Labels and cap colours will continue to distinguish the available variants, reducing the risk of confusion on store shelves.

A strategy already used for Sprite

Stoney is not the first Coca-Cola brand in South Africa to leave coloured PET behind. Sprite previously moved from green bottles to clear plastic packaging to improve the material’s recyclability.

That precedent helps explain the reasoning behind the Stoney decision: coloured plastic may be technically recyclable, but colour can limit the possible uses and market value of the recovered material. Clear packaging can give recyclers greater flexibility.

The move also sits within a broader packaging mix that includes plastic and glass bottles, aluminium cans and refillable formats. Each option carries different manufacturing, transport, collection and reuse considerations, so a bottle redesign should be viewed as one part of the packaging system rather than a complete solution to plastic waste.

What consumers should know

Shoppers may see brown and clear Stoney bottles beside each other during the phased rollout. This does not indicate a different recipe or a counterfeit product. It reflects the gradual replacement of older packaging.

Consumers should empty the clear PET bottle and place it in an appropriate recycling stream where local collection is available. Local guidance remains important because recycling services and accepted materials differ by municipality and collector.

The bottom line

Stoney clear bottles represent a visible packaging change for one of South Africa’s recognisable ginger beer brands. The 2.25-litre format is leading the transition, with the rest of the portfolio due to follow progressively.

The redesign cannot solve collection and recycling challenges by itself. Nevertheless, moving away from brown PET can make recovered bottles more useful to recyclers while preserving the product, labels and brand cues consumers already know.

Frequently asked questions

When did Stoney introduce clear bottles?

The phased South African rollout began in June 2026 with the 2.25-litre Stoney Ginger Beer bottle.

Are all Stoney bottles clear now?

Not necessarily. The change is gradual, and Coca-Cola has not announced a final completion date for every bottle size.

Has the Stoney recipe changed?

No product change has been announced. Coca-Cola says the ginger beer retains its established KWETSA taste.

Can clear Stoney bottles be recycled?

They are made from PET and designed to be easier to collect and recycle. Whether an individual bottle is recycled still depends on local collection, correct disposal and processing infrastructure.

Sources

• The Coca-Cola Company South Africa: “Stoney Moves to Clear Packaging,” 23 June 2026
• PETplanet: Stoney swaps its brown bottle for clear PET, 11 August 2026
• PETnology: Stoney moves to clear PET packaging, 11 August 2026

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