European bottler Coca-Cola HBC has launched a new type of cardboard – LitePac Top – that it claims could signal the end for large multipack bottles packaged in plastic shrink wrap.
The alternative to plastic shrink film is being trialled on 1.5 litre multipacks of Coca-Cola, Fanta and Sprite in Austria. The fully recyclable cardboard and paper wrap can support the weight of a six-pack of 1.5 litre bottles, or around 9 kg.
It is estimated that a rollout in Austria of the new secondary LitePac Top packaging could save about 200 tonnes of plastic a year and significantly reduce production energy costs.
Marcel Martin, CCHBC’s Chief Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Officer, stated that LitePac Top was an important milestone for the company in its push to become net zero.
“This is the first-ever packaging solution of its kind for 1.5 litre multipacks of Coca-Cola, Fanta and Sprite. It’s the result of our entrepreneurial mindset, an absolute belief in collaborating with trusted partners and our focus on reaching net zero emissions by 2040,” he said.
