According to Hans-Peter Wild, “requiring paper drinking straws makes absolutely no sense.”Image: KEYSTONE
A soft drink manufacturer fights against an EU ban and fails. Now the company boss is criticizing – even of himself.
June 16, 2026, 10:44June 16, 2026, 10:44
After Capri-Sun’s failed petition for a return to plastic straws, the long-time company boss criticized the company. “The petition was poorly made and wrong – that’s just by the way,” said Hans-Peter Wild, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Capri Sun Group Holding AG, to the “Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung”. “But in reality, the demand for paper drinking straws makes absolutely no sense.”
The company based in Baden-Württemberg has been trying to return to plastic tubes since 2024 with the appropriate approval from the European Union (EU). Environmental and consumer advocates criticize the plans. Due to an EU ban on single-use plastic products, Capri-Sun has been using paper straws on its classic drinking bag since 2021.
Customers cannot cope with paper straws
Since then, according to the company, there has been criticism from consumers: the paper straw is harder to insert, becomes soft and leads to a papery taste when drinking. Capri-Sun has therefore already revised the paper straw several times.
“The Capri Sun drinking pack is 100 percent recyclable,” said Wild in the interview on the occasion of his 85th birthday. “90 percent of the paper straws remain in the bag when it is empty.” It would therefore be better if the recyclable straw in the Capri-Sun could be completely recycled together with the drinking bag.
Environmentalists criticize the move
According to its own information, the company wants to make the straw from the same material as the drinking bag: the plastic polypropylene. Capri-Sun wanted to collect one million signatures with an online petition, but only got fewer than 170,000.
Environmental and consumer advocates criticize the company’s efforts. Viola Wohlgemuth from German Environmental Aid recently said: “Capri-Sun’s ongoing fight for disposable plastic straws is incomprehensible from an environmental perspective and is an indictment.” The small drinking bags are primarily designed for consumption on the go and therefore often end up in the environment.