05 Jul 2019 Bye-bye six packs: hello interlocking cans for plastic-free convenience
Mexican beer brand, Corona, has created a prototype solution to the 17 million tons of plastic generated by beverage packaging each year – a screwable, stackable can. [This is brilliant! Ed]
The Fit Packs have screw threads at the top and bottom of each can, allowing up to ten cans to be stacked on top of each other with a simple twist and no additional materials.
“Corona Fit Packs is currently a prototype solution with an objective of addressing the packaging plastic issues. As part of the development process, we will analyze our results to see how to grow this idea,” said Paulina Portillo Orozco, a communication manager for Grupo Modelo (Corona’s manufacturer).
“As of now, it is still a prototype in the development phase, but it has great potential to be a plastic-free solution for the beverages industry in general.”
The concept is cost-effective and will be easy to scale out to global markets. In order to allow the solution to make a maximum impact on waste, Corona will make the design available to all other beverage companies.
Additionally, the can, which was designed by marketing company, Leo Burnett, is on the 2019 Cannes Innovation Lions shortlist. Here’s a promotional video of the cans where the screwing mechanism can be seen in action.
“As we still have to work closely on the prototype’s proper development, we do not yet have a defined estimated time to launch a first pilot,” Portillo continued. “The development will allow us to have a clearer picture of the project path and growth potential.”
Sustainable packaging
This prototype comes at a time when the industry is under immense pressure to become more environmentally friendly. Corona’s 2025 Global Sustainability Goals are driven by the four pillars of smart agriculture, climate action, water stewardship and circular packaging.
“As a global brand, we are deeply committed to reducing a significant amount of plastic in our products. This important innovation leads the path in reducing the impact of plastic, not only in the beer industry, but also in the Consumer Packaged Goods Category overall.
“It helps to keep plastic out of the oceans, thus reinforcing Corona’s commitment to the environment. However, substituting plastic for other materials only solves one part of the problem,” Portillo explained.
Corona recently piloted another sustainable alternative to plastic six-pack beer rings – plant-based rings made from biodegradable fibres and a mix of by-product waste and compostable materials.
If left in the environment, the rings will break down into a non-harmful organic material, instead of the increasingly smaller pieces of plastic which stem from the industry standard rings made from a photodegradable form of polyethylene.
Meanwhile in Europe, Carlsberg has managed a 76% reduction in multi-pack plastic (see below) thanks to its Snap Pack. Rings were phased out entirely and replaced with recyclable glue that bonds the beer cans together.
Source: PackagingInsights.com
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