PACKAGING

SUSTAINABILITY FOCUS: HIGHLAND SPRING / TENNENT’S

SUSTAINABILITY UPDATE

MAJOR SCOTTISH BRANDS HIGHLAND SPRING AND TENNENT’S HAVE ANNOUNCED NEWSUSTAINABILITY IMPROVEMENTS THIS WEEK AROUND THE PACKAGING OF THEIR ICONIC PRODUCTS.

HIGHLAND SPRING

Highland Spring is launching its most environmentally sustainable multipack to date (12 x 500ml), featuring a new 100% recycled plastic shrink wrap, as the business continues to push forward on its journey to using 100% recycled materials across its portfolio.

Initially announced in September, the pack is now in production ahead of its first trial at selected Sainsbury’s stores nationwide from January.

Clearly labelled as an ‘Eco Pack’, to differentiate it from other packs on shelf, the move marks the brand’s biggest packaging transformation since it introduced its range of 100% recycled and recyclable eco bottles in 2019.

Launching in 270 Sainsbury’s stores, Highland Spring believes the initiative is a first for the UK natural source water category.

Simon Oldham, Chief Commercial Officer, Highland Spring Group said: “We want consumers to understand that plastic is a valuable resource that should not be treated as waste. We are taking a holistic approach to our packaging and want to create a truly circular plastics economy in the UK to ensure these materials stay in the loop.

“That’s why we are delighted to introduce our next generation 100% recycled shrink wrap, which is a significant step forwards in ensuring all our packaging uses recycled materials and is designed in a way that makes it easy for consumers to embrace positive plastic behaviours.”

TENNENT’S

A £7m investment in packaging equipment at Wellpark Brewery in Glasgow sees Tennent’s well on its way to eradicating single use plastic from its consumer packaging.

The investment will remove 150 tonnes of plastic from Tennent’s Lager can packs by 2022, including more than 100 million plastic (hi- and midcone) rings.

Work at the brewery is expected to complete in spring 2021, when the brewer will be able to produce up to 120,000 cans per hour, packaged in fully recyclable cardboard. The new packaging area will remove all plastic packaging from Tennent’s Lager can formats for the first time in more than 40 years.

Martin Doogan, Group Engineering Manager, said: “Sustainability is at the core of our business and this is the latest step as we work towards our 2022 goal of eliminating single use plastic from our consumer packaging and our ongoing commitment to environmental best practice in everything we do.”