Diageo North America launches 100% recycled plastic bottle
Diageo North America launches 100% recycled plastic bottle
June 18, 2020
Press Release: Diageo North America
Diageo North America has announced that its iconic blended American whiskey Seagram’s 7 Crown bottles will be made from 100% recycled plastic (rPET), a move that represents a first for the brand as well as for Diageo
Building on a decade-long commitment to making its packaging more sustainable, Diageo North America will remove virgin plastic from Seagram’s 7 Crown bottles across all its PET (polyethylene terephthalate) formats: 1.75 liters, 750ml, 375ml and 200ml. This change will reduce the use of virgin plastic by almost 1,000 tons annually – the equivalent of removing 100 million 500ml plastic bottles, which, if laid out in a row, would represent 11,957 miles (almost five trips between New York and Los Angeles).
The new bottles will be on shelf across the Seagram’s 7 Crown range in the USA from the end of June. A variety of the brand’s formats in glass bottles will remain alongside the new recycled PET bottles. As stated on the product’s label, Diageo encourages consumers to recycle so the material can be used again for bottles or other purposes.
“Great packaging is essential for our brands,” said Jason Sorley, brand director, Diageo North America. “Consumers expect our packs to be of the highest quality, while also being functional and sustainable. We are very excited to have Seagram’s 7 Crown move to 100% recycled PET, reinforcing our commitment to both innovation and minimizing its environmental footprint.”
“We continue to take an innovative approach toward delivering sustainable packaging designs and are proud that this move supports our goal to increase recycled content across our brands globally to 45%,” added Ronald Holmes, packaging director, Diageo North America. “Using recycled materials to make packaging reduces the carbon footprint of our brands, raises awareness with consumers, and encourages the industry to follow.”
Last year, Diageo announced an investment to reduce the amount of plastics used in its beer packaging operations. It was followed by a Guinness Open Gate Brewery announcement that all Baltimore-brewed limited release canned multipacks available for purchase at the brewery will be sold in eco-friendly carriers as an alternative to the standard plastic rings typically used for beer.
These innovations bring Diageo closer to its ambitious targets for use of plastics. In 2018, the company announced new plastics targets for 2025 and beyond. Its targets aim to ensure that 100% of plastics used are designed to be widely recyclable, or reusable or compostable, and made from recycled material. In December 2017, Diageo committed to phasing out the use of plastic straws and stirrers from its offices, events, promotions, advertising and marketing globally – and advocates the same to its partners and customers.
The rescheduled Plastic Free World Conference & Expo 2020 will take place at Cologne Messe, Germany, on Monday 9 November and Tuesday 10 November. To register for this highly focused, solutions-driven event, please click here. For sponsorship and exhibition opportunities, please email peter@trans-globalevents.com