The partnership with glass bottle supplier, Encirc, allows Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company to take another step towards Carlsberg Group’s ZERO carbon footprint ambition with a trial demonstrating the possibility to cut the carbon impact of glass bottles by up to 90 percent. 1 million beer bottles have been manufactured for the Carlsberg Danish Pilsner brand.
Glass bottles account for around 10 percent of the total beer-in-hand emissions (the full value chain) for CMBC. This trial has significant potential to support the brewer’s target to cut emissions across its value chain as part of Carlsberg Group’s Together Towards ZERO programme. The carbon impact of each bottle is cut by up to 90 percent, with potential to transform the bottle from the highest-carbon-impact packaging type to the lowest.
This is the latest in a series of innovations to cut the carbon impact of packaging across CMBC. In 2019, on the relaunch of Carlsberg Danish Pilsner in the UK, the bottles were redesigned to make them 10 grams lighter than the ones they replaced, saving over 130 tonnes of glass in the first year alone.
Mark Comline, Senior Category Director Group Packaging Materials at Carlsberg Group, said, “We are delighted this ground-breaking trial has successfully proven and produced ultra-low carbon Carlsberg glass beer bottles. Across Carlsberg we are inspired to work together towards a zero-carbon future. Trials like this in partnership with Encirc are a massive leap towards making it a reality.”
As part of the Glass Futures industry initiative, the trial will feed into UK Government policy through the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Energy Innovation Programme.
Adrian Curry, Managing Director at Encirc, added, “This is a truly momentous occasion for glass. We have set the standard globally with this trial and now the glass industry needs to work towards realising what we’ve proved is possible. We now know that glass can be the most sustainable of all packaging types and must all work together to ensure that happens.”
Carlsberg Group has also been recognised for its action on climate change with a place on the prestigious CDP A list, and for its work in engaging with suppliers to tackle climate change through the 2020 Supplier Engagement Leader board.