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We are calling on Sprecher Brewing Co., the new owner of WIT Beverage Co. (maker of WBC Craft Sodas and Caruso’s Sodas), to protect consumers by eliminating any phthalates that may be in their bottle caps and any PVC that may be in their cap liners. To note, in addition to testing WIT beverages, we also tested Sprecher brand beverages. Those bottle caps tested better than WIT beverages, containing vinyl in their bottle caps but not phthalates, showing that Sprecher Brewing Co. already has a source for phthalate-free caps.
The toxic byproducts of vinyl production and phthalates disproportionately affect communities of color, low-income communities and children. These communities are also over-represented among purchasers of sweetened beverages and customers of dollar stores, such as those where the WIT products we tested were purchased.
Here are the WIT Beverage Co. (owned by Sprecher Brewing Co.) products for which the sampled bottle caps tested positive for phthalates and/or PVC:
- WBC Craft Sodas
- Vanilla Cream
- Black Cherry
- Chicago Style Root Beer
- Spicy Ginger
- Orange Cream
- Caruso's
- Italian Style Dark Cream Soda
The Solution
There are safer alternatives that are widely available, effective, and affordable. We need your help to push Sprecher to ensure those alternatives are used in their beverages.
Overall, 40% of the brands we tested came back “clean” with neither ortho-phthalates nor vinyl plastic found present in their tested bottle cap liners. Even better, after briefing several brands on their bottle cap test results, we saw some dramatic market leadership toward environmentally healthier and sustainable packaging and we want Sprecher to join them.
One of the brands that took immediate action is Brew Dr. Kombucha, one of the top five producers of kombucha. Immediately after being alerted to test results that found ortho-phthalates in the vinyl plastic cap liners, founder and CEO Matt Thomas swung into action to work with the company’s bottle caps supplier to find a safer alternative.