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Sustainability report shows drinks sector ‘considerably behind’

The drinks sector’s sustainable strategies and practices scored an average of 4.8 out of 10 in the first Drinks Industry Sustainability Index – Trends Report 2020, “considerably behind” other industries.

C&C Group has released the first Drinks Industry Sustainability Index – Trends Report 2020

The report, compiled by sustainable research company Footprint Intelligence and drinks firm C&C Group, analysed the extent to which the drinks industry is adopting sustainable strategies and practices for packaging, waste, water, emissions, energy, social impact and raw materials.

According to the report’s findings, only 50% of glass containers are currently recycled in the drinks industry, with bars and restaurants responsible for sending 200,000 tonnes of glass going to landfill each year.

The 2020 Sustainability Index gives key action points for the industry to follow, with particular focus on topics such as understanding and mitigating the environmental impact in supply and value chains; openly engaging with consumer concerns about plastic and packaging; considering water usage in a global context; using science when setting carbon dioxide targets; and understanding how the popularity of plant-based diets and low-alcohol trends are affecting the drinks industry.

Pat Morrissey, C&C Group operations director, said: “When we embarked on this project, our objectives were clear: to build an accurate picture of sustainability in the sector and to offer insights that would enable businesses up and down the supply and value chains to make more informed decisions.

“I believe this inaugural report represents a solid start towards achieving our ambitious environmental targets, by offering a comprehensive and concise analysis of our current position and setting out a practical roadmap to help guide our industry in tackling the environmental challenges we face.”

C&C Group said it has pledged to be 100% carbon neutral by 2025, 25 years ahead of the UK’s carbon neutral target.

Furthermore, the group has committed to removing all single-use plastic from its consumer packaging by 2021.

For the full report, visit candcgroupplc.com/our-footprint/.

C&C Group acquired Matthew Clark and Bibendum in April 2018 just before Conviviality appointed administrators.

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