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Baileys turns to paper bottles
Diageo will trial a paper bottle format this weekend for its Irish cream liqueur Baileys.
As spirits companies look to reduce their glass usage in favour of more planet-friendly packaging, paper-based bottles are being explored as a solution.
Diageo previously worked on a plastic-free paper bottle for its Scotch whisky Johnnie Walker, produced in partnership with venture management company Pilot Lite. The company said the bottle is still in the development phase.
For Baileys, Diageo has partnered with PA Consulting, as part of the Bottle Collective with PA and PulPac, and will trial a 90% paper dry-moulded fibre bottle, which comes with a thin plastic liner and a foil seal.
Jamie Stone, design and innovation expert at PA, said the dry-moulded fibre technology has “immense potential” and is a “huge step forward”.
He explained: “Not only is it water-saving, energy-efficient and recyclable, but it is also viable at commercial manufacturing speeds and scale. Working with Diageo and other organisations through our Bottle and Blister Pack Collectives has enabled us to pool resources and dramatically accelerate the time to market for this important innovation.”
Diageo will test out 2,000 bottles at the Time Out festival in Barcelona this weekend (25-26 May). The company will observe how the bottles travel, having been filled on-site in Ireland.
Consumer interaction with the material will also be a focus – each bottle is designed for recycling in standard paper streams, so people don’t need to separate the plastic liner from the bottle when disposing.
Ewan Andrew, president of global supply chain and procurement and chief sustainability officer at Diageo, said: “When it comes to our packaging, we’re taking an approach of progress over perfection, knowing our packaging will need to evolve along with consumer needs and technological advancements.
“The consumer is becoming more sustainability savvy and we believe we can meet that need using our design and innovation to bring premium products and more sustainable solutions together.”
Diageo added that it is looking into developing paper formats for its wider portfolio, and is working on a spiral-wound paper-based bottle for its Filipino rum brand, Don Papa.
Diageo aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030, as well as increasing diversity across its leadership teams. The 10-year plan, titled Society 2030: Spirit of Progress, covers sustainability, diversity and positive drinking.
In March, Diageo released 30,000 aluminium bottles of Baileys as part of its sustainability commitments.