Packaging Solutions
A new website has launched to showcase the benefits of drinks cans, reflecting the UK’s growing demand for the sustainable pack format. Run by the Can Makers, the trade body representing drinks can manufacturers in the UK, the site debuts animated infographics and educational videos about the infinitely recyclable can, plus handy downloadable whitepapers and market commentary. The site’s launch means fillers, retailers, industry bodies, governments and drinks manufacturers can access all the information they need in one easy place.
A dedicated sustainability section explains why cans are the most recycled drinks container on the planet (Resource Recycling Systems, 2017), helping drinks manufacturers make environmentally conscious choices. A thought provoking interactive timeline teaches about the history of the can, from 1795 through to the present, alongside practical information on can filling and manufacturing. Newcomers looking to get their drinks canned can also discover more about the design options available. A blog keeping users up to date on key trends and insights completes the line up.
Marcel Arsand, chairman at the Can Makers, said: ‘The can has been an unsung hero for too long, despite being the world’s most recycled pack format. Its future success is built upon strong industry education to raise its profile. We have created the new site to serve as a foundation: an easy portal to find everything in one place, whether in-depth market reports or quick contacts to help start the canning journey.’
The site launches in association with Metal Packaging Europe, a unified voice for the metal packaging industry, bringing together manufacturers, suppliers, and national associations.
The latest Nielsen research reveals cans’ market share grew by more than 6%, with carbonated soft drinks, craft beer and flavoured cider as the main drivers behind their recent rise in popularity. The change in consumer perception around the beverage can as a premium product for great tasting drinks has had an impact on growth, as well as the overall experience it provides, fitting in with today’s lifestyle. Research by the Can Makers and GfK shows that more than half of consumers will drink from a can at least once a week (2016).
With ever growing interest in packaging’s environmental impact, consumers now want to know what happens to the pack once they have used it. Cans have the best recycling and sustainability record today: Resource Recycling Systems’ analysis established a global weighted average recycling rate for aluminium at 69%, compared to PET at 43% and glass at 46% (2017). Beverage cans are not just ‘recyclable’ (which consumers are increasingly aware has little true meaning) but are also already highly recycled. In the UK, Alupro reports that 72% of all aluminium cans were recycled back into other products in 2017, and predicts the rate will reach 85% within two years with the existing systems already in place.
The news site can be accessed at www.canmakers.co.uk
