Diageo has created what it claims is the world’s first 100% plastic-free paper-based spirits bottle.
The bottle is made entirely from sustainably sourced wood, and will debut on Diageo’s Johnnie Walker scotch whisky brand in early 2021.
It is made by Pulpex, a “world-leading” sustainable packaging technology company created under a new partnership with Diageo and venture management company Pilot Lite.
The plastic-free pack had been designed to meet food-safe standards and be fully recyclable in standard waste streams, said Diageo.
It billed the paper-based bottle a “first of its kind” and said its technology would allow brands to rethink packaging designs or move existing designs into paper without compromising on the quality of the product.
The technology can produce a variety of single-mould bottles that could be used across “a range of consumer goods” and can contain a variety of liquid products.
Pulpex has already established a partner consortium of fmcg brands in non-competing categories, including Unilever and PepsiCo.
Diageo chief sustainability officer Ewan Andrew said the bottle had “the potential to be truly ground-breaking”, adding that Diageo was “constantly striving to push the boundaries within sustainable packaging”.
The move forms part of Diageo’s commitment to responsible consumption and production, which is the 12th of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The spirits bottle launch follows that of a paper wine bottle revealed by Frugalpac last month.
Dubbed the Frugal Bottle, it is made with 94% recycled paperboard and a food-grade liner to hold the liquid inside, and can be recycled along with other household waste. Frugalpac said the bottle could “revolutionise” the wine category.
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