Refill pouches for gin to be recycled by post for free
● Distillery launches ‘bottle for life’ scheme to cut eco footprint
A landmark deal has been agreed that will allow drinkers from all over the country to enjoy hand-crafted gin from a distillery in the north of Scotland while cutting the impact on the environment.
Rock Rose has become the first gin to be available in fully recyclable pouches.
The agreement with Royal Mail means customers can return the empties to the distillery in Caithness for free.
Once delivered to the distillery at Dunnet Bay, the pouches will be collected and converted into new items.
As well as juniper, Rock Rose gin is made from local botanicals such as rose root, sea buckthorn and rowan berries.
The brand is known for its eye-catching ceramic bottles, which are signed and sealed by hand at the distillery.
The pouches mean customers can easily refill the bottles at home, saving money and reusing the original vessel as a “bottle for life”.
The deal is part of a collaboration between Rock Rose, innovation specialists PA Consulting and waste firm Terracycle.
To recycle the refill packs, buyers just need to stick on a special freepost label and drop it in a postbox.
Martin Murray, co-founder of Dunnet Bay Distillers, said: “We take sustainability incredibly seriously and have been working hard on our first-to-market recyclable pouches for over a year now.
“We are absolutely thrilled to be the first brand to have secured the support of Royal Mail for a postal recycling scheme, which we believe will be embraced by our customers.
“In the near future we plan to extend the scheme to bars, restaurants and shops, as well as making it available across all the spirits in our portfolio.
“What’s more, we are also offering in-store refills to customers at our distillery shop.”
Ryan Mcginley, product design expert at PA Consulting, added: “We are delighted to have helped Dunnet Bay Distillers create an environmentally friendly solution that delivers real value to its distillery and customers.’’
The scheme is the latest green initiative at the awardwinning distillery, the most northerly on the UK mainland. Operations are partly powered by solar panels, while botanical waste is given to local farmers to improve fields.