Milk

An everyday product which comes in many different packaging formats from bottles to cartons to pouches.

Working with packaging creative agency, The Brewery, and Dairy UK  members, we developed a number of concepts that could use less material without compromising on product quality or customer convenience.  Participants included dairy suppliers as well as packaging suppliers.     

Be inspired with these workshop concepts ...

Milk

• further lightweighting can be achieved using existing extrusion blow moulding tooling.  An important part of this will be to test performance against set criteria for drop tests, top loading, capping and pin hole leaks; and
• the volume of milk being contained; this design may only work for the smaller size volumes, e.g. 1 and 2 pint containers.

Milk

Handle Less No. 2

The handle has been removed completely.  Milk would be poured by handling the container by the neck or neck rings could be used.

Potential weight saving: circa 30% less material than current bottle. 

Considerations:

• consumers would need to accept the new bottle design. One way would be to promote this new shape by highlighting its similarities to carbonated bottle designs, e.g. Coke bottles; and
• this bottle shape could increase filling line speed.

Milk

Handle Less No. 3

The handle has been removed and the cap minimised.  A reusable handle could be supplied to aid pouring.

Potential weight saving: 10 - 20% less material than current bottle.

Considerations:

• handles can be replaced by grip-able panels or snap on reusable devices; and
• an alternative to screw necks is to use a reseal function - see concept no. 5.

Milk

Handle Less No. 4

Rounded shoulder with minimal neck and grip feature rather than a handle uses less material.  The screw on cap has also been removed being replaced by a screw on pouring spout which offers control and a re-close feature.

Potential weight saving: 10 - 20% less material than current bottle.

Milk

• mass consumer acceptance would need to be tested in the UK;
• 'multi-packs' could be supplied in a bag or in a reusable carrier;
• for ease of pouring there are a number of options, from a heat seal feature to decanting into a customised jug; and
• this would require significant investment in tooling for filling lines.

Milk

Alternative Format No. 2

This is again a pouch which has a spout and a peelable seal weld.  The weld then fits into a pouring spout located on the customised jug neck.

Potential weight saving: 40 - 60% less material than current bottles.

Considerations:

• mass consumer acceptance would need to be tested in the UK;
• 'multi-packs' could be supplied in a bag or in a reusable carrier; and
• this would require significant investment in tooling for filling lines.

Milk

Alternative Format No. 3

This is a pouch format with a reusable sleeve that offers good stability and control for pouring.

Potential weight saving: 40 - 60% less material than current bottles.

Considerations:

• mass consumer acceptance would need to be tested in the UK;
• customers need to reuse the sleeve to maximise resource efficiency; and
• this would require significant investment in tooling for filling lines.