Heineken UK has launched new sustainable cardboard toppers in leiu of the plastic rings on Heineken, Foster’s and Kronenbourg 1664, an effort that is expected to reduce 517 tonnes of plastic per year.
The new ‘Green Grip’ topper will be used across the three brands first, and will later be rolled out to Heineken’s entire beer and cider portfolio for the UK market, including: Amstel, Strongbow, Desperados, Old Mout and Birra Moretti. Not only does it reduce plastic waste, but it minimises the use of materials, says Heineken, estimating that this topper will eliminate waste equivalent to 94 million plastic bags.
Michael Gillane, Marketing Director, Heineken UK, said, “This is a game-changer. For so long, the plastic pack rings on cans of beer and cider have been rightly scrutinised.” He goes on to explain that this fully recyclable solution can be used at scale on hundreds of millions of cans every year.
Along with creating an innovative solution to reduce waste, the Heineken team continued to evolve its processes amid the Covid-19 travel restrictions, which happened to be implemented when the new packaging machinery was set to be installed at its Manchester Brewery. The team used smart glasses and virtual training to navigate the significant logistical hurdles and operational obstructions, maintaining its goal to remove the plastic ring toppers from grocery shelves by the end of 2021.
