Frucor Suntory takes strides towards achieving its 2030 carbon emissions targets by lightweighting its 330ml V Pure glass bottles.
Light-weighting is the process of removing unnecessary material to make the beverage more lightweight to optimise its material usage and functionality.
Frucor Suntory aims to reduce its indirect carbon emissions by 30% and direct carbon emissions by 50% by 2030. Packaging Lead Tim Lee estimates that replacing the 205g glass 330ml with a 195g glass bottle will enable Frucor Suntory to reduce their glass usage by four tonnes and their carbon emissions by 1.3 tonnes.
“Each gram of material used to manufacture our beverages requires energy. So...the less packaging we use, the more energy-efficient our manufacturing can be," said Lee.
“However, there is only so far you can go without compromising the quality or performance of the packaging.”
Frucor Suntory’s Packaging team kicked off the light-weighting project in 2020, with research and implementation ramping up in 2021. Lee describes starting Frucor Suntory’s light-weighting journey with V Pure as purely incidental.
“The procurement team were reviewing our bottle options for V Pure. They asked us to undertake a risk assessment and test the material to ensure it was fit for purpose.
“If successful, it would be a big step forward in helping to reach our sustainability and commercial objectives."
Frucor Suntory’s Packaging Team will continue their research into light-weighting and rPET alternatives for its portfolio into 2022.
