Carlsberg scraps plastic rings for recyclable glue

Carlsberg is scrapping the use of plastic rings on its multipacks of beer cans and will instead use recyclable glue, which it says will reduce its plastic waste by more than 1,200 tonnes a year – the equivalent of 60 million plastic bags.

The innovation will first be rolled out on its flagship Carlsberg brand

Its new Snap Pack will replace the plastic wrapping used in six packs with a rubber-like glue which attaches one can to the next, but can be easily separated then recycled.

Described as a “world first” for the beer industry, Carlsberg says it will reduce the amount of plastic used in traditional multi-packs by up to 76%.

Cees ’t Hart, CEO of the Carlsberg Group, said: “It’s an important day for Carlsberg. We are working hard to deliver on our ambitious sustainability agenda and to help tackle climate change.”

“We always strive to improve and today’s launch clearly shows our ambition to follow in our founder’s footsteps towards a better tomorrow. Carlsberg’s Snap Pack will significantly reduce the amount of plastic waste, and we look forward to giving our consumers better beer experiences with less environmental impact.”

Three years in the making, the Snap Pack is one of a number of green innovations announced by the Carlsberg Group as part of its sustainability programme, Together Towards ZERO, which includes ambitions of a ZERO carbon footprint and ZERO water waste.

Other improvements include a switch to Cradle-to-Cradle CertifiedTM silver inks on its bottle labels to improve recyclability, a new coating on refillable glass bottles to extend their lifespan and therefore reduce their environmental footprint, and new caps which remove oxygen to make the beer taste fresher for longer.

Carlsberg has also announced a strategic partnership with Plastic Change, a Danish environmental organisation, in addition to its long-standing partnership with the WWF on sustainable issues and their impact on both the environment and the world’s natural resources.

Bo Øksnebjerg, secretary general in WWF Denmark, said: ”Our wildlife is drowning in plastic – and the problem is unfortunately growing considerably. We therefore need to act now. We need less plastic to end up in nature. That is why we consider it huge progress that Carlsberg is now launching solutions that significantly reduce the amount of plastic in its packaging. With these new solutions, Carlsberg has taken the first big steps on the journey towards a more clean and green future.”