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(Courtesy Heineken)
Plastic six-pack rings are a nightmare. They trash oceans, ensnare sea life and will outlast all of us…
And in effort to counter the ecological waste associated with this troublesome kind of packaging Heineken is stepping up…
Heineken has invested £22 million at its UK sites to replace the plastic rings that hold together cans of Foster’s, Heineken and Kronenbourg 1664.
Instead of plastic rings, Heineken products sold in the UK will be held together with cardboard packaging going into 2020. These ‘toppers’ will then be introduced to Heineken’s wider portfolio, including Strongbow, Bulmer’s and John Smith’s by the end of 2021.
And in an effort to remove a projected 517 million tons of plastic from the production line by the end of 2021, Heineken is also ditching plastic shrink wrap from its wholesale packaging.
Heineken’s marketing director Cindy Tervoort explained that that eliminating plastic from its products has been a big focus in recent years…
“Now, after years in development and huge investment, we’re extremely pleased to announce our recyclable and compostable topper innovation, a significant milestone in our journey to eliminate all single-use plastic.”
The movement away from plastic beer ring packaging has been gaining momentum around the world…
Carlsberg Snap-Pack
In 2017, Mexican startup E6PR (Eco Six Pack Ring) introduced eco-friendly biodegradable and compostable beer packaging that safely breaks down outside or in the water.
In 2018, Carlsberg announced that it would be replacing traditional plastic 6-pack rings, with tiny dots of glue binding the cans together that won’t trash the world’s oceans or entangle its sea life.
Guinness, which is owned by Diageo, has announced that it was replacing the plastic rings with cardboard packs, which are sustainably sourced, recyclable and fully biodegradable. This transition from plastic to cardboard also included other company-owned beer brands such as Harp and Smithwick’s.
In June Corona introduced fit packs an interlocking beer can alternative to plastic 6-pack rings.
And in September Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I announced that it was joining the growing number of brewers around the world who are abandoning plastic beer rings for more sustainable alternatives.
