Where to Start with Sustainable Glass Bottle Packaging for Transport

Did you know glass is one of the most sustainable materials on the planet? It’s completely recyclable and its quality doesn’t deteriorate – no matter how many times you recycle it. In the UK, it can take as little as 30 days for a glass bottle to go from your recycling bin and get turned into a sellable, recycled glass bottle!

Also here in the UK, more FMCG brands are moving away from plastic to glass bottling for the sake of the environment. But with it comes challenges to protect the fragile material during storage and transport.

Below, our Head of Design and Marketing, Matthew Kay, explains how you can choose the right sustainable packaging materials to move your glass bottles from factory to shop floor. All while keeping the products in-tact, ready to taste sharp.

Impact of EPR on the UK Glass Sector

Our glass recycling rate sits just above the three quarters mark (76.5%) in the UK. For every tonne of glass we recycle, around 385k tonnes of CO₂ emissions are saved. Unfortunately, the recent introduction of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in the UK has raised issues for our friends in the glass and FMCG industries. Namely, around cost.

EPR means fees for glass beverage packaging will be around 49 times higher than for other materials.

 

Under EPR, the heavier the packaging container, the higher the fees. For reference, a standard 330ml plastic bottle weighs around only 10% of its glass counterpart, so glass manufacturers and bottle suppliers are finding themselves in unfavourable waters.

Matthew Kay, Head of Design & Marketing at Greyhound Box

However, though glass manufacturers may be incurring higher costs, there are tangible ways to make savings when it comes to sustainably packing glass bottles for transport and storage. The UK’s packaging industry must support the glass industry to increase uptake of the material and its environmental benefits, improving the sustainability of the entire supply chain. And at Greyhound Box, that’s our bread and butter.

What is Sustainable Glass Bottle Packaging?

Sustainable packaging refers to the materials used to produce the protective cartons as well as the manufacturing processes and wider supply chain activities involved.

There’s a common misconception that sustainable packaging equals more cost to the customer.

 

But you can’t put a price on feeling completely confident that glass bottles, susceptible to breakage, are secure and protected in transit and storage. Not to mention all the manual handling along FMCG supply chains!

Matthew Kay, Head of Design & Marketing at Greyhound Box

How to Protect Glass Bottles during Transport

Here’s where to start to ensure your packaging works to keep your glass bottles safe and in-tact.

1. Carry out a packaging review

All sustainable glass bottle packaging solutions should start with understanding the strengths and weaknesses of your current packaging.

Matthew says: ‘Through our unique packaging review service, our customers get to understand their packaging on another level. You’ll share all the details of your glass bottle packaging with our experts who’ll assess both the suitability and sustainability of it for the bottles’ needs. We’ll also find out about your wider value chain so we can make recommendations that account for the bottles’ every move.’

2. Look for bespoke packaging designers and manufacturers

From here, we use the measurements of your glass bottles plus all the insight we now have over your processes and supply chain needs to design a sustainable package that protects. Our specialists have over 30 years of experience in crafting sustainable, bespoke packaging that account for every granular detail of glass bottles and containers. With Greyhound Box, your products are in safe hands.

We:

• Curate bespoke inner fitments to keep accessories, like bottle lids, in position within the package to reduce movement and risk of damage.
• Reduce your use of unnecessary, unrecyclable fillers and sealants that end up in landfill (like plastic bubblewrap and tape), by advising on the right sustainable alternative for your product. Check out our eco tape!
• Support you to make your transit packaging as planet-friendly as possible, too, using materials like 100% recyclable sustainable palletwrap to keep your boxes together and secure. (What’s more, it also saves you an expense. Our sustainable palletwrap is exempt from both the UK and EU’s plastic packaging taxes because it’s made from a minimum of least 30% PCW recycled waste.)

3. Remember to include clear handling instructions

Last but not least, we know that even the most robust package in the world can be handled incorrectly, which can lead to accidents and breakages.

Feel confident your glass bottles are moved and handled with care with the right text and signage on your inner and outer packages.

 

Whether that’s printed directly onto the sustainable glass bottle packaging itself (using eco-friendly, water-based inks) or attached using a solvent-free adhesive, we’ll make sure your ‘This way up’ and ‘Fragile’ messages are front and centre. Meaning, less breakages and more happy customers.

Matthew Kay, Head of Design & Marketing at Greyhound Box

Sustainable packaging to protect Leeds Gin and Castle Gin’s glass bottles

Ready, Set, Sustainable Glass Bottle Packaging

Make today the day you switch to sustainable glass bottle packaging that’s friendly to both your bottom line and the environment. Get in touch with Matthew to start!