How microplastics affect gut health
How, and why, do microplastics alter the microbiome?
Processing & packaging
Manufacturing investments: Coca-Cola, Heineken, PepsiCo and more
From renewable energy to R&D, big players have been making big investments over the last few weeks
The push for PHA: How Mad Tea’s compostable pods shift packaging standards
Mad Tea’s 100% compostable tea pods, made from a blend of PHA and other compostable bioplastics, aim to satisfy consumer demand for sustainable packaging, yet experts warn that high production costs, limited infrastructure, and regulatory confusion pose...
Celsius boosts production capabilities with acquisition of Big Beverages Contract Manufacturing
Celsius Holdings – the company behind premium lifestyle energy drink Celsius – has acquired Big Beverages Contract Manufacturing L.L.C.
Beverage giants join forces to accelerate renewable energy adoption
Coca-Cola, Bacardi, Carlsberg, Constellation Brands, Diageo, Heineken, Molson Coors, Pernod Ricard and Whyte & Mackay are all joining forces in a new consortium to accelerate renewable energy adoption across the beverage industry supply chain.
Paper bottles: Do they have the potential to revolutionize the market?
Paper bottles are making their way onto shelves. Do they have what it takes to become a mass market packaging option?
How Diageo is cutting Scope 3 emissions through packaging
Diageo is aiming to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions through changes and reductions in packaging.
News
Brits call for Deposit Return Scheme for all materials
Almost three quarters of Brits want to see the new Labour government press ahead with a deposit return scheme (DRS) for all drinks containers.
Can microchipping make people recycle more? Tech company's chips can be used for intelligent packaging
One Tech company's silicon-free chips can both store information to tell consumers how to recycle a product, and tell manufacturers how often the product is recycled.
Johnnie Walker debuts world’s lightest whisky bottle
The Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ultra bottle comes in at just 180g, rethinking all aspects of how the bottle is designed, made and transported. Could it inspire change across the industry?
Coca-Cola boosts Powerade production in Australia
Powerade grew an impressive 12% in Australia over the last year. As a result, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners is ramping up production capabilities for the sports drink with its largest ever investment in Australian manufacturing.
Spirits packaging innovation: Standout designs of 2024
Sleek, sophisticated and stylish: We take a look at some of the standout spirits packaging launches of the year so far.
Diageo launches generative AI bottle for Johnnie Walker
Diageo is turning to generative AI to give consumers the chance to create personalized bottles of Johnnie Walker Blue Label: highlighting that today’s consumers demand truly unique experiences.
Are plastic bottles safe in the sun?
Scientists raise concerns that plastic bottles release harmful chemicals when exposed to sunlight.
Packaging that composts at ambient temperatures aims to make litter disappear
Aiming for uniquely long shelf life and strong versatility, a new biobased packaging innovation has been developed to make litter vanish.
Bisphenol battle: Indonesia formalises new regulations mandating BPA leaching warnings on water bottles
The Indonesian government has published new regulations mandating that all water bottles made with polycarbonate packaging that contains the chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) must now attach a sign to warn consumers of potential leaching.
Pernod Ricard turns to reusable spirits containers in circular packaging partnership
Pernod Ricard and ecoSPIRITS have announced a five year global licensing agreement: which will see Pernod Ricard distribute its top spirits brands in large, reusable containers to hospitality venues.
Stopping single-use: Abu Dhabi to ban specific Styrofoam products from June 1
Abu Dhabi is implementing a ban on various “avoidable” single-use Styrofoam consumer products, which will take effect from June 1, 2024.
Diageo debuts paper-based bottle for Baileys
Diageo has launched a trial for a paper-based bottle for Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur; while a Johnnie Walker paper-based bottle is also in development.
Improving sustainability in beverage production: Diageo and PepsiCo invest in European plants
Diageo is investing in decarbonizing its historic Guinness brewery in Dublin, while PepsiCo’s beverage plant in Spain is set to become the company’s first to reach net zero.
Liquid I.V.’s brand refresh captures hydration through new packaging, summer ad campaign
Hydration brand Liquid I.V.’s new packaging and summer ad campaign help “optimize and modernize” the brand “without disrupting shopability at shelf,” Brittany Shaw, the company’s senior brand director told FoodNavigator-USA.
US recycling laws ‘a growing pain point’ for food producers, says FoodChain ID
With regulators pushing for improved recyclability and reduced packaging waste, how should manufacturers navigate the latest regulations and packaging trends?
The UK's Deposit Return Scheme is set for 2027. What do businesses need to know?
The UK Government plans to introduce a Deposit Return Scheme in October 2027: today confirming a two year delay from the previously set date of 2025. A policy statement outlines the next steps for the scheme - what do beverage businesses need to know?
Country by country, street by street: Nestlé on navigating global recycling regulations
Recycling regulations differ between countries, regions, and sometimes even streets. Nestlé hopes for a more harmonised approach, but until then it must navigate the myriad regulations in its operating areas.
Small bottles, big difference: Coca-Cola debuts lightweight single-serve bottles
With on-the-go single-serve bottle sizes representing the largest volumes of products sold, The Coca-Cola has turned its attention to light-weighting these sizes. The result? Annual plastic savings which equate to 800 million bottles a year, according to...
Bisphenol A exposure: Worse for kids with obesity?
Exposure to BPA, used to make epoxy resins to form protective coatings for food and beverage cans, has been linked to increased childhood obesity risks.
Can beverage brands succeed without labels?
Coca-Cola is removing labels from Sprite bottles in a UK trial in a bid to improve sustainability: presenting a bare bottle on shelves. Will other brands follow suit – or will branding and marketing teams decide the move is simply too risky?
ALDI launches own-brand paper wine bottles
Supermarket ALDI claims a UK first with the launch of its own-brand paper wine bottles.
From paperization to promotional messaging: How are plant-based milk brands differentiating?
We speak to two leading packaging manufacturers about the materials, formats and branding choices that plant-based milk manufacturers are eyeing in 2024.
Champagne Telmont releases bottles in ‘193,000 shades of green'
Champagne Telmont will release 193,000 bottles in shades ranging from green to cinnamon this year, as part of its journey to improve sustainability.
PATH’s flavored sparkling water is a continuation of bottle reusability
PATH’s primary business strategy revolves around the reusability of its aluminum bottles, diverging from the traditional single-use bottled water market. Launched its new flavored sparkling water was an obvious decision, PATH’s CEO, Shadi Bakour,...
Enter the dragon: Asahi Super Dry on the importance of ‘relatable’ packaging in Asian markets
Japanese beer giant Asahi believes that beverage packaging needs to move beyond being eye-catching and incorporate elements of ‘relatability’ and digitalisation truly make a mark with Asian consumers.
California winery launches aluminum wine bottles: ‘We’re answering the call-to-action to rethink glass bottles’
California’s Bogle Family Wine Collection has launched its first-of-its-kind 750ml aluminum wine bottles. The winery believes the format can first and foremost offer a more environmentally friendly solution: as well as open up new consumption occasions...
Ireland introduces Deposit Return Scheme
Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) – a nationwide money-back initiative for plastic bottles and aluminum cans – launches this month in a bid to improve recycling rates.
Sprite removes labels from bottles in UK trial
Coca-Cola will remove labels from Sprite bottles in select UK convenience stores, in a move to cut down on packaging materials and simplify recycling.
Nestlé invests $100m in Vietnam coffee factory
Nestlé Vietnam will use a $100m investment at its Tri An coffee factory to increase production capacity: helping the company meet growing local and international demand for brands such as Nescafé, Nescafé Dolce Gusto and Starbucks.
Bottled water can contain thousands of particles of nanoplastics, research suggests
Microplastics, which research suggests could be harmful to human health, are well-known infiltrators of a wide variety of food and beverages. Now, researchers have found that nanoplastics, the even smaller offspring of microplastics, are present in...
Brewing up change in beer filtration
Industrial filtration specialist Pall Corporation tells AgTechNavigator why it wants to help the brewing industry transition to more sustainable manufacturing processes by avoiding the use of diatomaceous earth.
How can the wine industry reduce emissions?
Australia’s grape and wine industry has set out its path to reduce its carbon emissions by more than 40% by 2030. How can it achieve this – and can the strategy offer a template for the global wine industry?
'A disruptive solution': A closer look at Tetra Pak’s aseptic carton with paper-based barrier
From recyclability to carbon footprint and shelf life, we find out more about the properties of Tetra Brik Aseptic 200 Slim Leaf, Tetra Pak’s new aseptic carton with a paper-based barrier.
Diageo and ecoSPIRITS go global with reusable glass packaging partnership
Diageo and circular economy tech company ecoSPIRITS are taking their reusable spirits packaging partnership global: turning to the ‘lower carbon, lower waste’ tech for Gordan’s, Captain Morgan and Smirnoff.
The proof is in the compostable cup: Better for All's strategy for composting over recycling
While more companies are ordering Better for All’s land and marine compostable cups compared to five years ago, the cups’ base biopolymer P-Hydroxy-Benzoate Hydroxylase (PHBH) is roughly 1.6 times more expensive than PLA (polylactic acid), a natural...
Bacardi runs hydrogen-powered glass production trial, cutting greenhouse gas emissions
Bacardi has announced the successful completion of the world’s first commercial production of glass spirits bottles fueled by hydrogen, in a trial that took place earlier this month.
‘It will strengthen and broaden our portfolio': SIG poised to innovate ‘faster and better’ at new Packaging Development Center
The packaging solutions provider says the €10m/$10.8m facility will strengthen the company’s ability to optimize, test and qualify new packaging structures, paving the way for developing more sustainable packaging options for the food and beverage...
Nestlé invests £7 million into new hard-to-recycle plastics plant
Global food and beverage conglomerate Nestlé injects multi-million-pound investment into Impact Recycling’s pioneering facility to progress hard-to-recycle plastic management and create positive environmental change.
EU moves to ban ‘forever chemicals’ and light plastic bags, but throwaway packaging ‘still a long way off’
The European Parliament has voted in favour of banning BPA and ‘forever chemicals’ in food packaging, and MEPs want to eliminate ‘less necessary’ packaging such as very lightweight plastic carrier bags. But the plastic industry is concerned the vote is a...
Labatt invests in Canada breweries with increased production capabilities and packaging tech
Labatt Breweries of Canada – a subsidiary of AB InBev - has announced investments in Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners announces $1.8bn joint acquisition of Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines, further building on Asia expansion
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) and Aboitiz Equity Ventures (AEV) will jointly acquire Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines, the companies announced this morning.
Beverage giants in hot water over plastic bottle recycling claims
Environmental and consumer rights organisations are taking legal action against Nestlé, Danone, and The Coca-Cola Company, over recyclable claims made about their plastic bottles. They have raised an external alert to both the European Commission and the...
More than half of consumers are ‘climatarians’ and show concern for environment, Tetra Pak Index suggests
Consumers are adapting their attitudes about food to a changing climate and aiming for more sustainable eating habits, research in Tetra Pak’s 2023 Index suggests. The research also indicated that consumers are gravitating towards healthier products, a...