Pernod Ricard is the world’s second-largest producer of wines and spirits with household-name brands such as Absolut Vodka, Perrier-Jouët and Beefeater and annual sales upwards of €8 billion (US$10 billion). Its sustainability targets will see the company switch 100% of its packaging to recyclable, reusable, compostable or biobased materials by 2025.
For Absolut Vodka, the company has achieved 50% recycled material within its clear glass bottle, four years ahead of target. In spite of the challenges related to reaching that level of recycled glass, The Absolut Company was able to maintain the bottle’s clearness through close collaboration with its glass manufacturer Ardagh Group. It also recently introduced the brand’s first paper bottle prototype, made of recyclable content—57% paper and 43% recycled plastic—in the United Kingdom and Sweden.
Pernod Ricard’s Beefeater Gin brand recently unveiled a 100% recyclable bottle with a premium embossed aluminum cap replacing the existing plastic cap. The label was also switched from plastic to paper “for a crafted, elegant feel, saving over 400 tons of plastic each year.” The new bottle has been launched in Spain, Beefeater’s number one market, and will be rolled out worldwide in the third quarter.
Perrier-Jouët, Pernod Ricard’s prestige champagne brand, has launched a new eco-designed gift box, entirely made of natural fibers sourced from FSC-certified forests. “Combining elegance and sustainability, these new boxes are 30% lighter and mineral oil free,” the company adds.