Diageo has announced that it is replacing the plastic packaging from its beer packs with sustainable alternatives.
As part of £16m investment, the brewing giant is removing plastic ring carriers and shrink wrap from multipacks of Guinness, Harp and Smithwick’s. These will be replaced by cardboard packs, which are sustainably sourced and recyclable.
The new packs will start appearing in Ireland from August this year and in Great Britain and all other export markets from Summer 2020.
The change is expected to reduce Diageo’s plastic usage by over 400 tonnes annually.
David Cutter, Diageo’s Chief Sustainability Officer and President, Global Supply & Procurement, said: “Consumers expect our packs to look beautiful, be functional, and sustainable. I am proud to announce this investment, through which we have been able to combine all three.
“We have been working tirelessly to make our packaging more environmentally friendly and I’m thrilled with this outcome for Guinness and our other global beer brands.”
Diageo has already committed to ensuring that all plastics it uses are widely recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025.
The move comes amid numerous initiatives by food and drink firms to reduce their use of plastic. Last year, Carlsberg switched to using a glue instead of plastic to hold together its cans.
