Adnams of Southwold, UK has partnered with glassmaker O-I to develop the UK’s lightest branded 500ml glass premium ale bottle.
At 280g, the bottle shaves a further 19g off the brand’s lightweight bottle to create an additional annual carbon saving of 100 tonnes and removing 115 tonnes of glass from the waste stream.
Adnams pioneered the use of lightweight branded glass in the premium packaged ale sector when it worked with O-I to launch a 299g bottle in 2007.
This style of long-neck, lightweight pack has since helped regenerate the entire sector, which had grown to £490 million by the end of 2014.
Adnams hopes its latest move will inspire other brewers to seek further carbon savings.
O-I’s designers and manufacturing personnel at Harlow, UK were able to shave weight off while retaining the distinctive shape and height of Adnams’ bespoke bottles.
This meant that there was no impact on the filling equipment or tertiary packaging. The brewer is steadily moving production of all its bottled beers into the new container.
Benedict Orchard, environmental sustainability manager at Adnams, commented: “Constant environmental improvement is part of the DNA at Adnams. We wanted to see how far we could push our bottle as it is a key component of our overall carbon footprint. We had done it before and knew O-I. They are very forward thinking and share our ethos, so it was logical to work together.”
Paul McLavin, marketing and business development manager for O-I in the UK, said: “We are aware that other glassmakers offer standard bottles at 280g but are excited to be able to offer customers an embossed bottle, with all the branding benefits that brings, which advances sustainability.
“O-I is constantly working with customers and in its own Innovation Centre to push forward the boundaries of glass production; with its infinite recyclability, glass is the most sustainable packaging brands can choose.”
