GlassRite: Beer, Cider & Spirits - Project Progress

This project aims to catalyse, support and overcome barriers to the 'lightweighting' of bottles in the lager, ale, cider and spirits sectors.  Such lightweighting offers efficiency and cost benefits throughout the supply chain in addition to reducing the carbon footprint and amount of glass used.

The project, which started in January 2007 and runs to March 2008, aims to save 20,000 tonnes of glass from the UK waste stream. However, based on the latest progress, the project expects to beat this target and achieve glass savings of around 30,000 tonnes representing CO₂ savings of around 20,000 tonnes which is the same as taking 6,300 cars off the road.

By lightweighting your glass bottles this project can help you to deliver:

• reduced transportation costs
• less raw materials
• carbon reductions
• cost reductions
• meeting customer expectations.

Read on to see how other businesses are realising these benefits.

Current activity

SABMiller lightweight their Miller Genuine Draught bottle

By the end of the year, a new look Miller Genuine Draft bottle will enter UK retail stores. The new 330ml bottle achieves glass weight savings of more than 1,000 tonnes and CO₂ savings of around 650 tonnes.

Talking on the development, Antoinette Devine, SAB’s Global Packaging Consultant said “Glass lightweighting is a priority for SABMiller and is one of our core Sustainable Development objectives. The "GlassRite" initiative has encourged us to prioritise this objective and with Miller Genuine draught we will implement this new bottle not just in the UK but across all our international markets”.

Scottish & Newcastle introduced a 14% lighter bottle for Strongbow and Strongbow Sirrus brands

Scottish and Newcastle (S&N) have launched a new rightweight bottle for their Strongbow and Strongbow Sirrus brands. This has reduced the weight of the bottle by 14% whilst still retaining its strength, integrity and customer appeal. The reduction in weight will see over 600 tonnes of glass saved in the first year alone, along with a CO₂ savings of approximately 400 tonnes.

John Hodgson, Packaging Materials Manager at S&N said “We are delighted with the work undertaken in partnership with Glass Technology Services and WRAP, the results we have achieved are highly impressive and have delivered real tangible benefits. This has been a key project for us for several reasons, we have reduced the amount of glass we use without compromising quality, safety or the product and have made a real difference to the environment in terms of resource efficiency and combating climate change”.

The new bottles manufactured by Quinn Glass are expected to be on the shelves in the coming weeks, and will be joined by a lighter Newcastle Brown Ale bottle in the new future. 

Marston's lightweight their 500ml ale bottle

In mid-November this year, Marston’s introduced a new 22% lighter 500ml ale bottle, representing a glass saving of more than 1,000 tonnes per year and an associated CO₂ saving of more than 650 tonnes. Marston’s reviewed the design of its bottle with manufacturer O-I, to align with the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility policy and developments elsewhere in the ale sector. The re-design has also had the benefit of reducing the bottle diameter to meet retailer requirements for shelf-ready packaging.

Marketing Director Peter Jackson said: “As a company we need to lead by example and take action to reduce our environmental impact. The introduction of lightweight bottles to the Marston’s brand, ahead of the majority of the market, I hope will encourage other bottled drinks brands to take similar steps.”

Wells & Young’s lightweight the 660ml Cobra bottle

In 2005, Wells & Young’s lightweighted their 330ml Cobra bottle, yielding glass savings of more than 200 tonnes. Similar benefits have now been realised for the 660ml Cobra bottle with the introduction of a 21% lighter bottle in April 2007, which still retains the characteristic Cobra embossing. Working with Ardagh Glass, this latest development will achieve annualised glass savings of almost 700 tonnes, and CO₂ savings of more than 450 tonnes.

Frederic Robinsons Ltd lead a lightweighting initiative for a “consortium bottle”

Working with Glass Technology Services, WRAP and Ardagh Glass, Robinsons have lead a bottle lightweighting initiative on behalf of a triumvirate of brewers, sharing a ‘consortium bottle’. The lighter bottle is to the right of the original. The bottle, filled at Robinsons, is used by Black Sheep Brewery, Broughton Ales and Robinsons themselves, for some 20 ales and stouts including ‘Riggwelter’, ‘Black Douglas’ and ‘Double Hop’.

The lightweighting initiative, which, started in Spring 2007, benefited from WRAP support for the successful re-design and trialling of the bottle, and culminated in the launch of the bottle in retail in late October 2007, in time for the busy Christmas period.

The re-designed bottle, which has retained the characteristic hop bine motif, has achieved a unit weight reduction of some 24%, representing an annualised glass saving of more than 500 tonnes, and some 365 tonnes of CO₂ in glass manufacture alone – a tonne a day CO₂ saving! The new 296g bottle is currently the lightest 500ml bottle available in the UK.

Talking on the initiative, David Robinson, Director of Frederic Robinsons Ltd said, “The new consortium bottle has given a fresh image to the many brands for which it is used.  The key to success was co-operation from the start between all brandowners, ourselves, Ardagh Glass and Rawlings & Sons through whom the bottles were supplied.”

Alastair Mouat, Broughton Ales’ managing director said, “We are very satisfied with the result of the consortium’s work with Ardagh and WRAP to redesign our distinctive bottle. The combination of a sleek modern look and significant reduction in glass weight will give us an edge in a very competitive market”.

Paul Theakston from Black Sheep Brewery said, “This initiative proves that you can do good business and at the same time benefit the environment. Our extensive off-trade client base, including the major supermarkets, has its own stringent targets on carbon reduction, so have welcomed the new bottles on an environmental remit.”.

*CO₂ savings assume 50% recycled content for all the different beer bottles

Research

Light strike/skunking*

Does the thinning of glass walls increase the skunking of beer?  WRAP has briefed BRI and Brewlab to conduct a study to carry out light transmission tests for different thicknesses of glass. Results of this research should be available in early April.

(*Skunking is when light interacts with the hop compounds in beer to produce a "skunk-like" aroma.)

Next generation glass forming technology

A study is being carried out to look at glass forming technology for the future, and how this might support further lightweighting beyond current technologies.

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