When buying spirits from the supermarket while shopping, the first thing that most people take into consideration is whether it’s going to make their shopping bag heavier. In fact, many people will leave behind the bottle and promise themselves they’ll purchase alcohol at a different time. As it’s a common occurrence, and most of us have been in this situation, try to remember how many times have you actually purchased alcohol on the same day or even the same week? Chances are, you either forget to, or don’t think it’s worth going back for.
The weight of a bottle of alcohol doesn’t just affect consumers but also affects how these alcohol products are shipped. For example, the heavier the bottle the less of the product can be stacked in bulk for transportation. This is both due to the capacity limit of transport vehicles and the likelihood that the product will suffer damage with too much weight stacked on top of it.
Lightweight glass allows thin-sided glass containers to be made, which are just as capable as traditional glass packaging when it comes to strength and durability. Lightweight glass is 100% recyclable and is completely neutral in relation to the contents. With lighter bottles, the weight of stacking the product is much less likely to cause damage and will also lead to more products being delivered.
Lightweight glass also offers a helping hand when it comes to being environmentally friendly. A decrease in the weight of bottles and other glass packaging leads to savings, due to the need for less raw materials, thereby saving resources. Using recycled glass as an important raw material means a significant reduction in CO2 emissions, with savings of 12-17% being made.
Despite there being plenty of reasoning behind the implementation of lightweight glass bottles, the drink packaging industry is facing concerns about how their products may be perceived if they opt for lightweight glass. Consumers often associate the weight of the bottle with the quality and luxury of the product and, by extension, the brand. An example of this is how more expensive, luxury wine brands often have heavier bottles in comparison to cheaper wine products.
By removing this indication of high quality, luxury products, plenty of brands worry that their product will suffer. Perhaps this is a sign that both heavy and lightweight glass bottles have their function and benefits in the drinks packaging industry – no matter what path your brand chooses.
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