Guinness axes plastic ring drink carriers

PLASTIC ring carriers that can pose a threat to Britain’s wildlife are being removed from packs of Guinness, Harp lager and Smithwick’s beer.

The canned drinks will instead be sold in recyclable cardboard packs and will prevent 400 tonnes of plastic waste a year.

The decision by drinks giant Diageo follows similar moves by Carlsberg and Corona and is further evidence of how big business is taking radical steps to reduce waste as championed by the Daily Mail’s Turn the Tide on Plastic campaign. The new packs will be sold in Ireland from August and in Britain and other export markets from next summer.

From 2017, Diageo committed to phasing out plastic straws and stirrers and single-use plastic bottles from its sites and last year set a target to ensure 100 per cent of plastic used was recyclable, reusable or compostable from 2025.

Mark Sandys, its global head of beer, said: ‘This is good news for the brand, for our wider beer portfolio and for the environment.’