Spirit of Innovation: Co-op Roll Out World's Lightest Whisky Bottle
Developed and produced by Rockware Glass, the bottle will be used for the Co-op's own label whisky from April.
The bottle is designed to reduce manufacturing costs, cut carbon emissions and minimise the amount of glass being used in packaging and is the first commercially available 70cl bottle to break the 300 gram weight barrier.
The Co-op will trial the bottle in their best-selling 70cl whisky, but plans to expand its use into other 70cl own-brand spirits.
The spirits industry is one of the UK's biggest consumers of glass packaging, using more than half a million tonnes each year. With off-trade spirits sales continuing to rise, demand for glass packaging is stronger than ever, and WRAP expects this bottle to lead the way in lightweigting across this important industry sector.
WRAP estimates that 150,000 tonnes of glass could be saved each year, if the food and drink industry reduced the average container weight by just 10 per cent.
The innovative bottle was developed by Rockware and later incorporated into the Container Lite Programme – a year-long industry-wide project funded by WRAP to promote a range of lightweight glass containers.
WRAP project manager, Nicola Jenkin, said: "The new bottle is a real landmark in packaging design. A sub-300 gram spirits bottle has set a new 'best in class' standard for the sector, so the achievement is very welcome news.
"The new design proves that it is possible for packaging to be resource-efficient, without compromising performance or consumer appeal. We hope other retailers and brand owners will now follow suit."
WRAP continues to work with the glass container supply chain on projects to increase the use of recycled glass in bottles and jars, and through GlassRite, which aims to reduce the amount of glass used in packaging.
Manufacturers, retailers or brand owners interested in finding out more about lightweight glass containers are invited to contact WRAP’s Retail Innovation team on 01295 819686 or retail@wrap.org.uk. WRAP’s new retail website can be found at www.wrap.org.uk/retail
Editor's notes:
- WRAP works in partnership to encourage and enable businesses and consumers to be more efficient in their use of materials and recycle more things more often. This helps to minimise landfill, reduce carbon emissions and improve our environment.
- Established as a not-for-profit company in 2000, WRAP is backed by Government funding from Defra and the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- Working in seven key areas (Construction, Retail, Manufacturing, Organics, Business Growth, Behavioural Change, and Local Authority Support), WRAP’s work focuses on market development and support to drive forward recycling and materials resource efficiency within these sectors, as well as wider communications and awareness activities including the multi-media national Recycle Now campaign for England.
- More information on all of WRAP’s programmes can be found at www.wrap.org.uk
Richard Truman or Michael Bennett
Media Relations Manager
OX16 0AH
Tel: 01457 820807
rt@pelicanpr.co.uk
Press Office
Senior Press Officer, WRAP
OX16 0AH
Tel: 01295 819695
press.office@wrap.org.uk
