Riedel, a leading juice producer in the Netherlands, continues to drive innovation in sustainable packaging by transitioning its Van de Boom syrup range from metal cans into SIG carton packs made of the packaging material SIG Terra Forest-based polymers. 95 % of this SIG carton packaging material is forest-based – including polymers linked to forest-based renewable materials via a mass balance system.

All three key raw materials of the packaging material come from certified responsible sources via mass-balance systems: paperboard is from FSC^™-certified forests and other controlled sources; forest-based renewable polymers are certified according to ISCC PLUS; and an ultra-thin layer of aluminum which protects against light and oxygen is covered by ASI (Aluminium Stewardship Initiative) certification. It reduces the already low carbon footprint of standard SIG packaging material further by up to – 43 %¹, as a result of the substitution of fossil polymers with mass-balanced forest-based polymers made from tall oil – a by-product of paper manufacturing. They are a move away from conventional fossil-based polymers.

Compared to other packaging substrates, e.g. made purely from metal or plastic, SIG carton packs offer a best-in-class carbon footprint based on their high share of renewable raw materials and their light weight².

The move from cans to carton underscores Riedel’s strong commitment to reducing its environmental footprint by progressively converting the majority of its portfolio into SIG carton packs. Beyond the packaging evolution, Riedel ensures that its fruit syrups maintain their exceptional quality. The syrups contain 85 % fruit – according to Riedel the highest fruit content in the Dutch syrup market. Now, with no added sugars, they offer a healthier choice for consumers. In addition to the fruit syrups, Riedel is introducing unique green iced tea syrups in two fruity flavours in aseptic cartons, boasting reduced sugar content and fewer calories.

Riedel’s journey toward more sustainable packaging began in 2018 with the move of CoolBest and Appelsientje into SIG carton packs made of SIG Terra Forest-based polymers packaging material. This milestone laid the foundation for expanding the use of more sustainable packaging materials across its portfolio in the following years. In 2022, Riedel demonstrated bold leadership by replacing small PET bottles with SIG Smile carton packs, achieving a remarkable 75 % reduction in CO₂ emissions³.

“At Riedel, we believe that every step toward a more sustainable and healthier future counts. Transitioning our Van de Boom syrup range to carton packs with SIG’s innovative packing material not only allows us to significantly reduce our environmental impact but also enables us to offer healthier choices for consumers. With our new low-calorie syrups containing less sugar, we continue to provide high-quality products that align with evolving consumer preferences.”, said Julie van Bergen, Brand Manager at Riedel.

¹based on an independent ISO-compliant life-cycle assessment for SIG PremiumBloc in the Netherlands: https://go.sig.biz/l/251992/2024-06-07/7rbys4/251992/1717756941Oq0kjuGc/SIG_Terra_Alu_free_Forest_based_polymers_in_SIG_PremiumBloc_and_SIG_Ma.pdf%202
²based on independent ISO-compliant life-cycle assessments available at: https://www.sig.biz/en/sustainability/life-cycle-assessments
³according to an LCA commissioned by Riedel: https://www.riedel.nl/lca-deel-a/

Novelis Inc., a leading sustainable aluminum solutions provider and a world leader in aluminum rolling and recycling, announced it will invest USD 2.5 billion to build a new low-carbon recycling and rolling plant in Bay Minette, Alabama, US. The highly advanced facility will have an initial 600 kilotonnes of finished aluminum goods capacity per year.

“This investment marks the start of another transformational growth phase for Novelis,” said Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman of the Aditya Birla Group and the Novelis Board of Directors. “We continue to invest in each of the markets Novelis serves – from beverage can to automotive, aerospace and specialties – and in all geographies. Novelis has a track record of success in delivering customers the low-carbon, sustainable aluminum solutions they seek, and we will continue that storied history with this investment and others to come.”

More than half of the capacity of the new facility will be used to serve growing demand for aluminum beverage can sheet in North America, which is driven by consumer preference for more sustainable packaging.

“Through this investment, we are making a demonstrative commitment to continue to grow alongside our customers and meet their needs for low-carbon, highly sustainable aluminum solutions,” said Steve Fisher, President and CEO of Novelis Inc. “In addition, we are well-positioned to efficiently expand capacity at this facility in the future – above the 600 kt announced today – to capture ongoing strong demand. Our readiness to invest to serve growing markets is a perfect example of how we are delivering on our company purpose of shaping a sustainable world together.”

Novelis’ decision to build a fully integrated, greenfield recycling and rolling plant is backed by strong North American demand for flat-rolled, low-carbon aluminum from can makers and beverage companies. Aluminum beverage cans, bottles and cups are the models of sustainable packaging and the circular economy. With an average “can-to-can” lifecycle of just a couple of months, a can that is recycled today can be back on store shelves in as little as 60 days.

“As the world’s leading supplier of infinitely recyclable aluminum beverage packaging, Ball is committed to creating a circular economy within the aluminum industry and decarbonizing the value chain is fundamental to this work,” said Ron Lewis, Ball Corporation’s chief operating officer, global beverage packaging. “Novelis’ new recycling and rolling plant will not only add much needed domestic production of sustainable aluminum here in North America but will do so while decreasing the carbon footprint of the products we create.”

The facility will be the first fully integrated aluminum mill built in the U.S. in 40 years. It is expected to create up to 1,000 high-paying, advanced careers in modern manufacturing. It will also be the most sophisticated and sustainable of its kind. It will aim to be net carbon neutral for Scope 1 and 2, be powered primarily by renewable energy, use recycled water and be a zero-waste facility. It will also rely on railroad transportation, which can reduce logistics-related carbon emissions by up to 70 % compared to road transport. The plant will make significant use of advanced automation and digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, augmented reality and robotics.

With the addition of a new recycling center for beverage cans, Novelis will soon be able to recycle 90 billion cans globally, up from the 74 billion used beverage cans the company currently recycles. To support this, Novelis has been working to develop circular economies for aluminum through state and federal public policies, as well as through partnerships with customers and other stakeholders on new approaches that encourage and incentivise U.S. consumers to recycle more often.

“Aluminum cans are an important form of packaging that, when recycled, play a vital role in our overall efforts to reduce waste,” said John Murphy, Chief Financial Officer of The Coca-Cola Company. “The announcement of this new, low-carbon recycling and rolling facility by our longtime partners at Novelis will benefit the Coca-Cola system, our customers and consumers, while reducing impact on the environment.”

Site work is under way now and the company expects to begin commissioning in mid-2025.

In addition to the beverage can market, the facility will also serve the automotive market, where aluminum is the fastest growing material as automakers make plans to achieve their sustainability goals.

Ardagh Metal Packaging (AMP) announced that it plans to build a new state-of-the-art USD200 million beverage can plant in Northern Ireland. The plant will be located near Belfast and will service the growing needs of AMP’s beverage customers in Ireland, the UK and Europe.

This initiative is part of a multi-billion dollar investment programme by AMP involving the construction of new, infinitely recyclable, metal packaging capacity in Europe, North America and Brazil. Metal cans are the most recycled drinks package in the world, contributing to a circular economy and the sustainability requirements of AMP customers and consumers.

AMP plans to build the new plant at Global Point near Belfast, close to key local customers, at a cost of some USD200 million. Though details on precise jobs numbers are still being finalised, the investment by AMP will lead to the creation of a large number of full-time jobs for engineers, technicians and other roles.

AMP is currently at the pre-planning application stage and is actively engaged with local stakeholders on the project. Further details of the plant will be announced over the coming months.

AMP, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, is 75 % owned by Ardagh Group the international packaging group which traces its origins back to glass manufacturing in Dublin in the 1930’s.

Ball Corporation, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of infinitely recyclable aluminium beverage packaging, is planning to significantly increase its manufacturing capacity, with new cutting-edge facilities in the UK and Russia.

With an increasing consumer call for more sustainable purchasing options and a growing number of new brands and beverage categories choosing cans, demand for aluminium packaging is rapidly expanding around the world. Each facility would produce, from 2023, billions of cans a year across a range of formats and sizes, and provide up to 200 skilled jobs in a fast-growing but stable sector.

In the UK, Ball has identified a site at the SEGRO Park Kettering Gateway, an established industrial development in Northamptonshire. Ball has submitted its formal application to North Northamptonshire Council and anticipates breaking ground during 2021, following a period of public consultation.

The planned Kettering plant will represent Ball’s third beverage can manufacturing facility in the UK, adding capacity to its established plants in Milton Keynes and Wakefield. The plant will supply cans for domestic customers in a growing range of categories, which now includes hard seltzers, wines, ready to drink cocktails, together with pure and enhanced water brands.

To serve the fast growing Russian market, especially in the beer and energy drinks categories, Ball is planning to build a plant in Ulyanovsk in Western Russia. Ball Beverage Packaging Naro-Fominsk has signed a cooperation agreement for its construction with the Ulyanovsk Regional Government, who in June also awarded the development ‘Highly Significant Investment Project’ status.

The Ulynavosk plant will take the total in Russia to four, with established manufacturing facilities in Naro-Fominsk, Moscow Region; Vesvolozhsk, St. Petersburg Region; and Argayash, Chelyabinsk Region.

With no calories, no sweeteners and all smiles, bubly bounce is the perfect afternoon refreshment, offering five delicious new combo flavours and 35 mg of caffeine per 12oz. can

Bubly sparkling water introduced the launch of bubly bounce – a sparkling water with no calories, sweeteners, or artificial flavours, and just a kick of caffeine. The introduction of bublybounce, which is availablein the US in five refreshing combo flavours, marks the brand’s first caffeinated beverage and new line since its launch in 2018.

bubly, one of the fastest-growing brands in the sparkling water category¹, now combines everything people already love about bubly, with 35 mg of caffeine. bubly bounce provides hydration with a little caffeine, the perfect refreshment to get you through the afternoon or you know, just tackle Mondays.

“bubly sparkling water was created to bring more smiles into the sparkling water category, and new bubly bounce takes it to the next level with caffeine,” says Zach Harris, Vice President, Water Portfolio at PepsiCo Beverages North America. “As more individuals seek out sparkling waters with added benefits, bubly bounce delivers all of the delicious flavour and hydration of the original, now with just a kick of caffeine.”

New bubly bounce sparkling water is available in five delicious combo flavours, including mango passion fruit, triple berry, blood orange grapefruit, citrus cherry and blueberry pomegranate. bubly bounce can be purchased at all major retailers, and online, and comes in a variety of convenient purchase options ranging from 16oz. single serve cans, to 24-packs of 12oz. cans. A 12oz. can of bubly bounce contains 35 mg of caffeine, while a 16oz. single serve can contains 47 mg of caffeine.

About bubly
The bubly sparkling water brand is shaking up the sparkling water category with refreshing and delicious flavors, an upbeat and playful sense of humor, all while keeping it real with no artificial flavors, no sweeteners, and no calories. Each flavor of bubly and bubly bounce features bright, bold packaging, unique smiles for every flavor, and comes with its own witty greeting on the tab and personal messages on the can for maximum enjoyment and smiles. Just as love comes in all colors of the rainbow, bubly sparkling water is available in seventeen delicious flavors: blackberrybubly, limebubly, cherrybubly, grapefruitbubly, strawberrybubly, raspberrybubly, mangobubly, peachbubly, orangebubly, cranberrybubly, watermelonbubly, pineapplebubly, lemonbubly, applebubly, passionfruitbubly, blueberrypomegranatebubly, and whitepeachgingerbubly. bubly bounce is available in five refreshing combo flavors: mango passion fruit, triple berry, blood orange grapefruit, citrus cherry and blueberry pomegranate. no calories. no sweeteners. all smiles.™

1 IRI, 2020, US only

Crown Holdings, Inc. announced that its Brazilian subsidiary CROWN Embalagens S.A., plans to build its sixth beverage can plant in Brazil. The new two-line facility will produce two-piece aluminum cans in multiple sizes and have annual capacity of 2.4 billion cans when fully operational. The first line is expected to begin production in the second quarter of 2022, followed by the second line in the fourth quarter of 2022.

The new plant will be located in Minas Gerais State, southeast Brazil to meet the growing demand in the region for beer and soft drink cans. Crown has been operating in Brazil since 1942 and has a strong presence with two-piece aluminum beverage can plants in Cabreúva (São Paulo State), Estância (Sergipe State), Ponta Grossa (Paraná State), Rio Verde (Goiás State), Teresina (Piaui State) and a beverage end plant in Manaus (Amazonas State). The new plant will expand Crown’s annual production capacity in Brazil to 13.3 billion cans.

“Brazil is an important growth market for us and our partner, Évora S.A. This expansion will help meet the country’s increased demand for beverage cans and demonstrates Crown’s continuing commitment to grow with our customers,” commented Djalma Novaes, President of Crown’s Americas Division. “The aluminum beverage can is perfect for the Brazilian market; it is recyclable and sustainable, is shipped easily and most efficiently preserves the quality of the beverage product for the ultimate consumer.”

The KHS Group and Ferrum AG are intensifying their longstanding cooperation. Pending approval from antitrust authorities, KHS GmbH will be acquiring a stake in Ferrum Packaging AG. The aim is to optimally bundle the competencies of both machine-engineering companies to form a common system portfolio in the interest of providing integrated customer systems. At the same time, customers will also benefit in the future from well thought-out, one stop-shop services.

The KHS Group and Ferrum AG have been working together extremely successfully in the can segment for years. Dortmund full-service provider KHS values most of all its Swiss partner’s innovative machine technology and its expertise based on many years of experience, emphasizes Martin Resch, CFO in charge of purchasing at KHS. “Ferrum AG is the worldwide well-known manufacturer of can seamers. Combined with our future-oriented solutions in the field of filling and packaging technology, we form an effective union that is valued highly in the market.”

The two engineering companies are now intensifying their cooperation even further. Ferrum Packaging AG was founded as a subsidiary of Ferrum AG and incorporates Ferrum’s entire worldwide can seaming business. KHS will be acquiring minority ownership in Ferrum. At the same time, Ferrum Packaging Inc., the US subsidiary of Ferrum Packaging AG, will be taking over KHS’ can seaming business together with its employees and will be integrating it into the joint offer.

Intelligently combined system solutions

The aim of the merger is to develop and globally market joint solutions. To date, the KHS Group has offered tried and tested Ferrum can seamers only as accessory components for its canning lines. Effective immediately, work in close cooperation will begin on developing even more efficient systems including a filler-seamer block. “Based on skilled future planning of technical components, block solutions are to be designed to be as integrative as possible and do away with redundant functions,” says Dr. Siegmar Stang, Executive Vice President Wet Area at KHS.

Combined filler-seamers designed for the maximum capacity class are planned with clear benefits for the overall process, as Oliver Bühler, CTO of Ferrum Packaging AG, explains. “We don’t want to merely present one solution; we want to develop a comprehensive system portfolio that meets the needs of every customer while offering clear customer benefits.” Among other things, the two partners have set themselves as targets for their new developments a lower TCO¹ through shorter changeover times and more rapid sanitizing phases. In addition, the hygienic environment of the systems is to be further optimized.

Comprehensive one-stop-shop services

The intensified cooperation will also bring about extensive customer benefits in the area of customer service. In the future, all services for combined systems from KHS and Ferrum will be offered from a single source. “This will not only reduce the effort for our customers, they will also benefit from shorter machine wait and downtimes,” explains Dr. Beat Bühlmann, President of the Board of Directors at Ferrum.

The planned services include joint overhauls of the systems and integration of the KHS remote maintenance system ReDiS². Coordinating the supply of spare parts will also result in improvements in discontinuation management to ensure continued operation of the machines and thus the availability of systems.

¹ TCO = Total Cost of Ownership
² ReDiS = Remote Diagnostic Service

Ball Corporation announced that it has executed two virtual power purchase agreements (VPPAs) in Europe – one for the Corral Nuevo project with wpd and one for the Brattmyrliden project with Falck Renewables – for a total of 93.4 megawatts (MW) of additional wind energy. These agreements are a testament to Ball’s long-term commitment to achieve and maintain 100 % renewable energy in Europe and will allow the company to address approximately 63 % of the European electricity load utilized in its aluminum beverage packaging plants (excluding Russia) with new renewable energy.

The wind developments in Spain and Sweden will collectively enable Ball to reduce its Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions generated in Europe by approximately 60 % compared to 2019 – equivalent to the carbon reduction that would be provided by removing more than 47,000 passenger vehicles from the road annually. Ball’s commitment is to address 100 % of its electricity footprint in the region with clean power. The company’s regional strategy is to pursue PPAs when and where they are available and attractive. To the extent Ball has not achieved 100 % clean energy in the region through PPAs, the company is purchasing Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs). It recently announced the purchase of EACs to fully cover its operations in the European Union, Serbia and the UK through 2020.

“These milestone renewable energy deals in Europe affirm Ball’s steadfast commitment to reduce absolute carbon emissions within our operations and through our value chain,” said Kathleen Pitre, chief commercial and sustainability officer. “Both projects will allow us to address a substantial portion of our European electricity use with new wind energy and accelerate progress toward our recently approved science-based targets.”

In 2019, Ball was one of the top ten corporate renewable energy buyers in the United States. Last April, the company announced it had executed a wind and a solar VPPA for 388 MW of new renewable energy to address 100 % of its North American electricity load by 2021.

The VPPAs in Spain and Sweden demonstrate Ball’s industry-leading efforts to quickly expand on its renewable energy successes in North America as a major force driving new clean energy growth in global markets. Scheduled to come online in 2021, Ball’s share of the Corral Nuevo and Brattmyrliden wind projects will generate nearly 308,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of renewable electricity in Europe each year—equivalent to the electricity load of approximately 10 Ball beverage packaging plants.

Ball is the first company in the can making industry to adopt approved science-based targets, which seek to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. By 2030, the company aims to reduce absolute carbon emissions within its own global operations by 55 % and within its value chain by 16 % against a 2017 baseline.

The company recently achieved another first for global can manufacturers by earning Aluminum Stewardship Initiative Certification for all 23 of its EMEA beverage plants.

Ball Corporation announced that it has earned the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) certification for all 23 of its Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) beverage can plants. This accomplishment is a major sustainability milestone for the company and Ball is the first beverage can manufacturer to meet ASI’s environmental, social and governance principles.

The certification accompanies a commitment to significant carbon reductions by Ball, which is now covering all of its operations in the European Union, Serbia and the UK with renewable energy. Ball previously announced agreements for 100 % renewable energy covering all of its North America operations by 2021.

“We’re extremely proud to be the first aluminium beverage can manufacturer to achieve ASI certification,” said Ron Lewis, President, Ball Beverage Packaging, EMEA. “With their infinite recyclability, aluminium cans are the fastest growing beverage packaging type in Europe. As consumers seek more environmentally friendly products, they can have confidence in aluminium’s strong sustainability credentials such as responsible sourcing. The certification, combined with our renewable energy investments, demonstrates Ball’s commitment to a low-carbon, sustainable economy.”

ASI is a multi-stakeholder initiative that provides assurance of responsible production, sourcing and stewardship of aluminium throughout its value chain. As consumers demand greater sustainability across packaged goods, the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative’s scheme aims to do for aluminium what the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) did for paper and wood, making sustainability performance a mainstream, visible issue.

Ball has achieved both ASI’s Performance, and Chain of Custody (CoC) Standard certifications.

The ASI Performance Standard is a measure of how much effort Ball is making across its plants to assess, manage and disclose its environmental, social and governance impacts. These include issues such as life-cycle thinking, recycling, greenhouse gas emissions, water and waste management, biodiversity, business integrity and the human rights of both workers and local communities.

The ASI CoC Standard sets out requirements for the creation of a Chain of Custody for material that is produced and processed through the value chain. In Ball’s case, it links verified practices – certified under the ASI Performance Standard – from mining and remelting to casting, rolling, can manufacturing and filling.

“We’re responding to a greater desire from consumers, across Europe and around the world, for genuinely sustainable and infinitely recyclable packaging solutions,” said Kathleen Pitre, Chief Commercial and Sustainability Officer, Ball Corporation. “We’re working closely with our beverage customers to help them deliver on their sustainability commitments including on responsible sourcing practices. Ball is proud of our achievements in getting certified.”

“We are very pleased to award ASI Certification to, Ball Corporation, the world’s largest aluminium can maker and the first in its sector to have achieved this,” said Dr. Fiona Solomon, Chief Executive Officer, Aluminium Stewardship Initiative. “The ASI’s Performance Standard covers critical issues for the entire aluminium value chain. The programme is focused on responsible production, sourcing and stewardship of this important industrial metal. ASI Certification enables the aluminium industry to demonstrate responsibility and provide independent and credible assurance of performance. Supply-chain certification programs like ASI are becoming increasingly important for customers and stakeholders, who seek assurance that companies’ sustainability practices are genuine.”

With 75 % of aluminium ever produced still in use today around the world, the metal has a vital role to play in creating a truly circular economy. Ball is taking a lead on industry efforts to significantly increase the European recycling rate of aluminium beverage cans, currently at 75 %. Recycling aluminium saves 95 % of the energy required for the production of virgin aluminium, and so helps the global community to meet urgent carbon reduction targets.

Most decisions to buy are made directly at the point of sale: the significance of product presentation is growing, with an attractive visual appearance becoming ever more important. KHS is therefore now also offering its successful Innoket Neo labeling series for cans to manufacturers of small batches and producers with a high brand variety. The machine opens up new avenues in product marketing and flexibility in production. Warehouse capacities are reduced and energy is saved.

Images of production shops filled with pallets of differently printed empty cans will soon be a thing of the past. Says Cornelius Adolf, labeling product manager for KHS, “We’ve expanded our existing portfolio to include can labeling to give the customer more design options and enable these designs to be implemented faster with smaller warehouse capacities.” This is because minimum order quantities and long delivery times for empty cans limit flexibility. It is now possible to order unprinted cans within a much shorter period and to label them using the KHS Innoket Neo, thus simplifying logistics processes.

Wrap-around labels with optical alignment

The Innoket Neo can be used to apply self-adhesive film or paper labels. Here, the container can be either partly or fully wrapped with a label – including optical alignment. “The look and feel are unique”, is how Adolf explains the results of the self-adhesive labeling method. With this technology beverage producers can also respond much more rapidly and flexibly to the steadily growing variety of products and labels on the market. With this system the design or logo can be changed within a few hours and the cans dressed with suitable motifs. “Customers can even print their own labels. This considerably shortens the time to market. An attractive product is a clear distinguishing criterion at the point of sale,” says Adolf. As no cans with varying motifs have to be ordered, costs are also cut as higher numbers of unprinted containers can be purchased.

The space-saving machine with its 14 can plates driven by servomotors comes from the established Innoket Neo module system and gives manufacturers of small batches and producers with a great variety of brands many benefits. At high machine availability up to 35,000 full or empty cans in all standard sizes can be labeled per hour. The machine can be positioned upstream or downstream of the filler. Format changeovers are quick and do not require any additional tools. The labeler also has a high level of energy efficiency, with a power consumption of just five kilowatts per hour.

To deliver new beverage options to consumers seeking healthier alternatives, Danone Waters Brazil has partnered with Crown Holdings, Inc. to launch its newest brand, 4U by Danone. Debuting in the Brazil market in November, the 4U line features two carbonated juices and two flavored teas, all made with 100 % natural ingredients. Two different sizes of sleek style cans from Crown, along with special ink finishes and colorful imagery, offer vibrant, eye-catching package designs that reflect the healthy, fresh blends of the 4U beverages.

With an uptick in global awareness for health, wellness and sustainability, the beverage market has seen a growing consumer preference for alternative, more natural options. The 4U brand helps Danone address this burgeoning market within Brazil and diversify its portfolio, which includes dairy products and water, and reach new consumers.

The launch of the 4U line brings four new flavorful beverage options to the market. Danone’s carbonated juice, developed under the sub-brand True 4U, is available in White Grape and Citrus and packed in 269 ml (9.1 ounce) sleek style beverage cans. The sub-brand Tea 4U features two flavors, Black Tea – Hibiscus and Berry and Lemon Grass and Citrus, and is available in 310 ml (10.5 ounce) sleek style cans. All four beverages are completely natural, containing no preservatives or artificial coloring.

Danone chose the beverage can for its durability, recyclability and decorative options. The format’s premium appeal, portability and increasing popularity in the Brazilian market were also important factors. Danone collaborated with Crown due to the Company’s reputation for sustainable products and practices and its close relationships with partners.

“Placing Danone on the forefront of Brazil’s growing natural beverage market required a strategic packaging partner that could accurately capture the new 4U brand and help us make our mark in this product sector,” said Rafael Ribeiro, Head of Marketing and Sales at Danone. “Collaborating with Crown allowed us to venture into uncharted territory and bring an exciting, fresh product line to our customers with the confidence that our brand would be represented in a high-quality, sustainable format.”

For added shelf appeal, Crown used two distinct sizes of its sleek style cans. Part of the Company’s diverse product portfolio, the sleek style cans bring a level of exclusivity to the brand and provide greater differentiation between the carbonated juice and tea varieties. The cans’ graphics feature bright colors to convey the bold flavors and fresh ingredients of the natural beverages. An all-over matte finish has been applied to the Tea 4U cans, creating a tactile experience for consumers.

“It is always an honor to help our customers bring a new concept to market, and we were thrilled to support Danone with the launch of the 4U line,” said Altair Frulane, Commercial Director at Crown Embalagens Metálicas da Amazônia S/A, a subsidiary of Crown. “Our collaboration with Danone involved careful ideation and planning that resulted in a striking product that is true to the brand’s messaging and goals. It is this type of project that allows our expertise and creativity, both regionally and globally, to shine.”

100 % of Coca-Cola Amatil packaging to be recyclable by 2025, including bottles, cans, plastic wrap, glass and cardboard

Australian beverages manufacturer Coca-Cola Amatil announced a commitment for 100 per cent of its Australian packaging to be recyclable by 2025, including all bottles, cans, plastic wrap, glass and cardboard. The company will also work towards phasing out unnecessary single-use packaging through improved design, innovation or the use of recycled alternatives.
Group Managing Director Alison Watkins said the commitments were part of the National Packaging Targets announced by Federal Environment Minister, the Hon Melissa Price MP.

“As a beverages manufacturer, we’re serious about playing our part in addressing recycling,” Ms Watkins said.

“We’ve heard the community message loud and clear – that unnecessary packaging is unacceptable and we all need to work together to reduce the amount entering litter streams, the environment and the oceans.

“The National Packaging Targets aim to make a substantive improvement in packaging waste reduction, which is why we’re proud to be a founding supporter and to champion their implementation by industry.”

Australia’s 2025 National Packaging Targets are:

• 100 % of all Australia’s packaging will be reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025 or earlier
• 70 % of Australia’s plastic packaging will be recycled or composted by 2025
• 30 % average recycled content will be included across all packaging by 2025
• Problematic and unnecessary single-use plastic packaging will be phased out through design, innovation or introduction of alternatives

Earlier this year the Mount Franklin 600 ml bottle was launched using 100 % recycled content, with trials under way on reaching an average 50 per cent recycled content across the Australian portfolio by 2020.

Ms Watkins said the Targets were in addition to existing commitments on plastics and packaging reduction, including the aspiration of “World Without Waste” – a Coca-Cola Company goal to collect and recycle one bottle or can for every one produced, worldwide, by 2030.

Amatil and brand partner and shareholder The Coca-Cola Company is also developing sustainable packaging goals to increase the recycled content in plastic bottles and support recycling collection in Australia. Recognising the threat of marine plastic litter, The Coca-Cola Company this week joined governments and industry leaders to sign onto the Ocean Plastics Charter. Originally adopted at the 2018 G7 Summit, the Ocean Plastics Charter calls on governments, industry and the public to rethink their relationship with plastics.

Ardagh Group announced the opening of its new can ends facility in Manaus, Brazil. The new facility houses state-of-the-art production and inspection equipment with capacity to produce 12 million ends per day.

“This significant investment in Manaus strengthens Ardagh Group’s position in the Brazilian market place, and complements our beverage can production facilities in Jacarei and Alagoinhas” said Augusto Seoane, Operations Director Ardagh Metal Beverage Brazil. “The new facility allows us to support both existing and new customer requirements.”

Employing a team of more than 80 people, the new facility consolidates the company’s position as a leading producer of beverage cans and ends in Brazil, serving a growing customer base. Universally recognised for its protective qualities, versatility and environmental credentials, metal is a permanent material meaning it can be infinitely recycled without loss of quality.

Water is an everyday necessity, associated with life, healthiness and purity. To sustain this image, water packaging should feature simple and recyclable design. Since the impact of plastic packaging on the environment is widely discussed, canned water brands have an important role to play to reduce packaged water’s impact on the environment, says leading data and analytics company GlobalData.

The company’s report ‘ForeSights: Canned Water’ explores the future potential of reusable/recyclable canned water as an alternative to the mainstream bottled products.

According to GlobalData’s Q1 2017 consumer survey, recyclability is the most important factor in environmentally friendly packaging, with 74 % of consumers globally finding it very or extremely important.

Efforts have been made by manufacturers to replace plastic in water bottles with biodegradable materials obtained from various natural sources, such as algae. But could aluminum offer a more straight-forward answer to the problem?

Consumers mostly want reusable containers to be easy to carry, open and close. Other on-the-go packaging benefit preferences include being easy to dispose, reduced carbon foot print and light weight. Only aluminum cans, of all the available water packaging types, fulfill these preferences.

Canned and boxed water have been used in the past for emergency situations, such as natural disasters, rather than commercially. However, a few independent brands, including Noah’s spring water from US-based Varni Brothers and CanO water in the UK, have appeared in the developed world, using aluminum cans and beverage cartons to create more sustainable and safe alternatives of the bottled water.

Aleksandrina Yotova, Associate Analyst at GlobalData, says: “Aluminum cans are the most sustainable beverage package, reportedly outperforming plastic and glass bottles, as well as beverage cartons. They have the highest recycling rate and more recycled content than the other options. Consumers understand the efficiency of aluminum packaging.

“Being lightweight, stackable, and strong, cans allow brands to package and transport more beverages using less material (by weight) than plastic and glass bottles. Since beverage-makers can ship aluminum cans more efficiently, they could make transportation, energy, and cost savings, which translates to a more affordable end product.”

Consumers who make efforts to recycle product packaging as much as possible are likely to see canned water as a viable alternative to bottled water due to its high level of recyclability. According to GlobalData’s 2016 Q3 global consumer survey, the highest ratio of active recyclers is found in North America (78 %) and Europe (66 %).

Yotova adds: “Canned water is a logical extension of the trend for healthy and sustainable living among younger consumers. There are opportunities for manufacturers to target the millennial generation, especially in the developed world, with simple but elegant designs. These consumers want to associate themselves with the good cause of keeping the environment clean.”

Coca-Cola European Partners unveiled its new GB sustainable packaging strategy – setting out an ambition for its GB business unit to work with local and national partners to recover all its packaging so that more is recycled and none ends up as litter.

At present, only 70 % of the cans¹ and 57 %² of the plastic bottles used each year are recycled, CCEP believes these figures should be higher. Through its new GB sustainable packaging strategy, the company sets out the key actions it will take, and the areas where it will look to work with others, to improve the recovery and recycling of drinks packaging, and to reduce littering in Great Britain.

The new strategy is focused on three key areas:

1. Continuing to innovate to ensure its packaging is as sustainable as possible
   CCEP has built a strong track record of lightweighting, ensuring all its cans and bottles are 100 % recyclable, and using recycled materials. It now wants to build on its work, with plans to double the amount of recycled plastic in every one of its PET bottles over the next three years – from the current average of 25 % to 50 % by 2020. To achieve this ambitious target it will continue its long term partnership with Clean Tech, which operates Europe’s largest and most advanced plastic bottle reprocessing facility in Lincolnshire, supporting the circular economy in Great Britain and allowing recycled bottles to return to shop shelves as part of new packs in as little as six weeks.
2. Investing in consumer communication to promote recycling and encourage behaviour change
   As part of the new strategy, Coca-Cola will use the power of its brands to inspire more consumers to recycle. Later this month, the company will launch a multi-million pound communications campaign designed to inspire more people to recycle. At the heart of the campaign is an advert called Love Story, which will break on TV at the end of July and run across TV, cinema and digital channels. The advert features two love struck plastic bottles who are parted and then reunited as they are disposed of properly, recovered and then recycled into new bottles. The campaign will reach 35 million Britons by the end of this year. The company will also be putting a new recycling message on bottles this year and promoting recycling to six million people at festivals and events.
3. Championing reform of the UK recycling system to ensure more packaging is recovered and recycled
   The company will continue to work in partnership with others – including the Governments of Great Britain – to improve the current packaging recycling system. To support the growth of the circular economy in Great Britain, the company will champion well-designed new interventions that have the potential to increase packaging collection and recycling rates, including stronger recycling targets, deposit return schemes and extended producer responsibility.

In addition, as part of its commitment to support DEFRA’s new working group on voluntary and economic incentives to reduce littering, CCEP will seek to advance its own knowledge of how consumers are motivate by an incentive-based scheme by testing an on-the-go bottle collection and reward programme. This test will examine the behavioural impact of reward schemes and help inform any future national approaches to reducing litter and increasing collection and recycling rates. More details on these trials will be announced later this year.

¹ 70 per cent of cans recycled – Alupro.org.uk
² 57 per cent of plastic bottles recycled – Recoup UK Household Plastics Collection Survey 2016