Beverage packaging: Is PET the future of beer packaging?

PET could be the future of packaging in the brewing industry, delegates to the International Brewing Convention in Manchester, UK, were told this week. Geoff Giles, a Fellow of the Institute of Packaging and a consultant with idiPac gave a lecture to the convention on innovations in packaging.

Among the trends and ideas which he recommended delegates should monitor over the next few years is the development of PET packaging for beer. “You can do things with PET that you cannot do with other materials,” said Giles. “The market for PET bottles has the potential to grow. If carbon footprinting becomes more important and you have to publish environmental data on your packaging, this could give a competitive advantage to PET. Waste management may also be a key driver in the future and PET’s recyclability will be important.”

During his presentation he specially mentioned the development of PET kegs for the bulk packaging of beer by specialist plastics packaging technology business Petainer (www.petainer.com) which has a stand at the exhibition linked to the convention. Petainer has recently launched a family of 15, 20, 30 and 40 litre PET kegs for beer and other beverages.

Mr Giles also mentioned during his lecture the use of decoration on PET bottles as a boost to sales. He illustrated his theme with a bottle which Petainer has developed for Galatea, one of the largest suppliers to Systembolaget, the Swedish state monopoly alcohol retailer.

SOURCE: Smye Holland Associates Limited

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