Absolut Vodka’s clear glass bottles now contain 50% recycled material. The Swedish vokda reached the target four years ahead of target through close collaboration with its glass manufacturer Ardagh Group.
This achievement follows launch of the Absolut paper bottle prototype, marking the brand’s first step to a fully bio-based bottle able to contain spirits.
The paper bottle is made of recyclable content – 57% paper and 43% recycled plastic – with plastic making up a thin layer within the bottle that can be successfully recycled. The prototype was available both in the United Kingdom and Sweden with an initial batch of 2,000 bottles to be tested amongst consumers.
The project is a collaborative initiative with the Paboco (the Paper Bottle Co.) to create a sustainable alternative to traditional packaging methods. This entity includes industry leaders in the FMCG sector with the aim of driving sustainable innovation in the bottling industry and challenging the mindset of consumers and players across the spirits industry.
Beefeater Gin just unveiled a new 100% recyclable bottle with a premium embossed aluminum cap replacing the existing plastic cap. The label moved from plastic to paper for a crafted, elegant feel, saving over 400 tons of plastic each year. The new bottle, which coincides with 200 years of distilling heritage, has just been launched in Spain, Beefeater’s number one market, and will be rolled out worldwide in the third quarter.
Perrier-Jouët, Pernod Ricard’s prestige champagne brand, has launched, after two years of research and development, a new eco-designed gift box, entirely made of natural fibers sourced from FSC-certified forests. Combining elegance and sustainability, these new boxes are 30% lighter and mineral oil free. They are fully and easily recyclable.
“Our Sustainability & Responsibility strategy sits at the heart of our business with circular making as a key pillar. Innovating in packaging is crucial to minimizing our environmental impact. Like Absolut, Perrier-Jouët and Beefeater, all our brands are committed to this approach. This is about limiting waste and preserving our natural resources by reusing, reimagining, recycling and reducing, adopting a truly circular mindset”, says Vanessa Wright, VP Sustainability & Responsibility.