Diageo unveils ‘world’s first paper bottle’

DRINKS giant Diageo has said it has created the world’s first 100 per cent plastic-free, paper-based spirits bottle, made entirely from sustainably sourced wood.

The company set up a partnership with Pilot Lite, a venture management company, to launch Pulpex Limited, its new sustainable packaging technology company.

The bottle will debut with Johnnie Walker in early 2021.

Diageo said that Pulpex has established a partner consortium of fast-moving consumer goods companies in non-competing categories, including Unilever and Pepsico, with further partners expected to be announced later in the year, to ensure that the technology can be used in every area of life.

It is claimed Pulpex has developed a “first-of-itskind” scalable paperbased bottle designed and developed to be plasticfree and expected to be fully recyclable.

Diageo said the technology will allow brands to rethink their packaging designs, or move existing designs into paper, whilst not compromising on the existing quality of the product.

The consortium partners are each expected to launch their own branded paper bottles, based on the Pulpex design and technology, at some stage in 2021.

Ewan Andrew, 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 ground-breaking. It feels fitting that we should launch it with Johnnie Walker, a brand that has often led the way in innovation throughout its 200 years existence.”

Sandy Westwater, of Pilot Lite, said: “By working together, we can use the collective power of the brands to help minimise the environmental footprint of packaging by changing manufacturing and consumer behaviours.”