Popular brewer to trial fibre beer bottle across Europe

Beer giant Carlsberg is set to conduct its biggest trial in a bid to launch its fibre beer bottle across Europe.

Eight thousand of the group’s new bottles – all completely recyclable – will be sampled by customers in eight markets across the continent.

The bottle has been made with wood-based fibre shell and contains a lining made of a plant-based Polyethylene Furanoate (PEF) polymer.

Carslberg’s new offering could potentially stay colder for longer compared to its glass and can counterparts too due to the fibre exterior, the company claimed.

Stephane Munch, vice president for group development at Carlsberg, described the product as a “great achievement” and said the company will continue to work with partners Avantium, who specialise in renewable chemistry and developed the polymer lining, and packaging company Paboco – who produced the outer shell of the bottle – to create developments in beer packaging.

He said: “Identifying and producing PEF, as a competent functional barrier for beer, has been one of our greatest challenges – so getting good test results, collaborating with suppliers and seeing the bottles being filled on the line is a great achievement!”

The pilot will also see the beer giant turn its sustainability efforts to its beer, which will use barley malt cultivated using fully organic and regenerative agricultural practices in partnership with barley malt supplier Soufflet.

News of the wood-based bottle was unveiled in 2019 and Carlsberg has been working with partners on the design since 2015.

The pilot precedes the global launch of Carlsberg’s ESG programme – Together Towards Zero and Beyond – which includes a commitment to reach zero carbon emissions and a 30% reduction in its “full-value-chain carbon footprint” by 2030.