SBFI invests €7m in recycling initiatives
A recycling initiative by SBFI will save over 3,000 tonnes of new plastic being produced. File Picture.
Suntory Beverage and Food Ireland (SBFI) is investing €7m to support the recycling of its bottles by reinventing the packaging of its Lucozade brand.
Millions of euro are being invested to ensure that the Lucozade Sport bottle is only made from recycled plastic; the move will save 3,400 tonnes of new plastic being produced annually.
Alongside this, the bottle will be redesigned with a smaller label – reducing the volume of plastic used previously - thus ensuring that every bottle can be recycled back into another bottle.
The new labels which feature on-pack recycling prompts, ensure that the bottles can be sorted into the clear waste stream to be recycled back into bottles at recycling centres.
In total the changes represent a saving of 3,500 tonnes of new plastic and 9,000 tonnes of CO2, contributing towards the company’s net zero ambition.
This is because the shift from using virgin plastic made from fossil fuels to recycled plastic (rPET) reduces CO2 emissions by approximately 79%.
New targets announced by SBFI recently set its ambition to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 on the way to net zero by 2050.
These sustainability commitments form part of the company’s €9m investment to make its packaging more sustainable.
Other recently launched initiatives, meanwhile, include a newly designed Ribena bottle and the replacement of plastic straws with paper alternatives on all Ribena cartons.
And, further changes are expected next year as the business works towards making its plastic packaging completely sustainable by 2030.
“We’re making a huge investment to ensure we get our bottles back and hope that Lucozade fans across the country get behind us by helping to recycle,” Mark Aherne, General Manager SBFI, added.
“We’re committed to giving those that love our drinks the most sustainable options possible and this step represents real progress towards our 2030 sustainable plastic packaging goals.
“It’s also encouraging to know that as we enter this exciting summer of sport, professional and grassroot athletes can enjoy one of our drinks in the knowledge they’re reducing their environmental impact too.”
Séamus Clancy, CEO, Repak said: “These changes to the Lucozade bottle range demonstrate Suntory Food & Beverage Ireland’s continued commitment to delivering a circular economy for plastic bottles in Ireland.
“As signatories of the Repak Members’ Plastic Pledge, these positive changes, coupled with previous design changes to Ribena bottles, demonstrate the significant steps being taken by the company in helping to increase plastic packaging recycling rates here in Ireland”.
