Johnnie Walker maker creates plastic-free paper-based spirits bottle.

Diageo aims to begin bottling Johnnie Walker whisky using ‘world’s first’ design next year.

The multinational drinks company Diageo says it has created the world’s first paper-based spirits bottle that is 100% plastic-free.

The company said it was aiming to launch the bottle early next year with its Johnnie Walker whisky brand in one market before rolling it out worldwide.

The bottle is made from sustainably sourced pulp, complies with international food and drink safety standards and is fully recyclable. The contents are protected by a liner, made of resin rather than plastic, which holds the liquid but disintegrates when finished. The cap will be made of aluminium.

Ewan Andrew, the chief sustainability officer at Diageo, said: “We’re proud to have created this world first. We are constantly striving to push the boundaries within sustainable packaging and this bottle has the potential to be truly groundbreaking. It feels fitting that we should launch it with Johnnie Walker, a brand that has often led the way in innovation through its 200-year existence.”

A paper beer bottle was unveiled last year by the Danish brewer Carlsberg.

Last month the UK company Frugalpac announced it was in talks with supermarkets about its paper bottle, which is made with 94% recycled paperboard and a plastic food-grade liner to hold the liquid, and can be recycled along with household waste.

13 July 2020

The Guardian