Absolut Vodka Launches Commercially Available Single-Mold Paper Bottles

[prwhite]

The first global spirits brand to sell single-mold, paper-based bottles commercially available in a British supermarket chain, Absolut Vodka and Tesco are embarking on a 3-month test—in 22 Tesco stores throughout the summer. This is part of Absolut’s journey to create a fully bio-based bottle, following previous tests at festivals in the UK & Sweden.

This is the first time such paper-based bottles will have been sold commercially in-stores by a global spirits company, and represents a significant milestone on Absolut’s journey to create a 100% bio-based bottle; and become carbon neutral by 2030. The paper bottle initiative is part of a wider collaboration—with Paboco (the Paper Bottle Company) and their community of global brands, The Coca-Cola Company, Carlsberg, P&G and L’Oréal—to collectively work to help the packaging industries push the boundaries for sustainable packaging.

The trial will gain insights from consumers, retailers and supply chain partners to inform the next steps towards a commercially viable, fully bio-based bottle. These first-generation single-mold bottles are made from 57% paper with an integrated barrier of recyclable plastic. The company claims customers can simply recycle the packaging as paper through normal household waste.
Absolut launches first-ever commercially available paper bottles

 

[gordo]

Besides the 57% paper content - the remaining 43% is plastic! I'm confused. So the glass bottle didn't have plastic but the bio-paper one does?! Vodka bottles made from glass are totally recyclable. So the goal is for the company to be bio-based rather than to do anything for the environment? Smells like green washing to me.

One comment sums it up thusly:

“It's like calling a ham sandwich vegan, as 57% is bread,” said Paul Foulkes-Arellano, in a recent LinkedIn post. Foulkes-Arellano is founder of Circuthon Consulting, UK-based management consultancy that aids businesses in the transition to a circular economy model.
“The vodka is in contact with a polyethylene naphthalate (poly(ethylene 2,6-naphthalate) bottle which is 43% by volume of the bottle. PEN (as it's known colloquially) is a polyester derived from naphthalene-2,6-dicarboxylic acid, and ethylene glycol,” he added."

While the notion of paper-based bottles is interesting, perhaps the focus should be on reducing over-packaging in order to reduce our plastic footprint rather than replacing one recyclable material with another recyclable material Going to a grocer's in the UK or in Japan is an environmental shocker:

More examples of over-packaging here:

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