2024 Sustainable Glass Packaging Trends with Nolan Kane

We are joined by Verallia Head of Emerging Brands, Nolan Kane, to see what he thinks the top trends of 2024 will look like in the glass packaging industry. With his finger on the pulse of the shifting landscape of consumer priorities in glass packaging, he works with venues and brands to create some of the industry’s most distinctive off-the-shelf glass bottles. Read on to find out how he thinks that sustainable glass packaging and unique designs will define 2024.

Hi Nolan! Tell us a little bit about yourself.

“Hi, my name’s Nolan Kane and I am the Head of Emerging Brands at Verallia. I’ve been working as part of the team here at Verallia for the past 8 years and have collaborated with incredible brands to create some beautiful bottles.”

Nolan, what were your favourite glass bottle trends from 2023, and why do you think these emerged?

“Aesthetics became ever more important in 2023, with brands using unique designs to stand out on a saturated supermarket shelf. We saw many small distilleries rise to success through the use of unique branding in design aspects such as detailed embossing, unique labels, and distinctive shapes to communicate their story. Personally, I think that this trend came directly from brands understanding that in a competitive market consumers buy first with their eye, and re-purchase on product. Consumers are also looking to buy a story that resonates with their values as a way to choose what they are purchasing. USPs such as being a local business, their sustainability, using high-quality products, or being a heritage distiller, are all aspects of a brand’s story that we are increasingly seeing being communicated through bespoke design.”

What is the main trend you see emerging in 2024?

“The main trend I predict we see in 2024 is the growth of brands choosing sustainable off-the-shelf glass packaging. This will include higher cullet (recycled glass) content being used in glass productions, as well as glass bottles being designed with a lower weight in mind. This will allow brands to reduce their carbon footprint while also reducing their waste.”

Where do you think the sustainable glass packaging trend has come from?

“We have seen this trend gain traction ever since the Covid-19 pandemic. Consumers are becoming more eco-conscious and are now increasingly viewing sustainability as an expectation rather than a USP. This has been seen across all aspects of the glass industry, and no more so than the glass packaging industry. Consumers are now no longer satisfied with glass’s infinite recyclable quality and are instead looking to purchase sustainable glass packaging with a high recycled content, over virgin glass that has been produced with 100% raw materials.

I think this is a trend that is here to stay. This shift in the market has been brewing for the past four years with consumers becoming increasingly focused on how a brand’s story fits in line with their own personal sustainable values. I predict that sustainable glass packaging will become a staple in all brands product portfolios.”

What other trends do you think we’ll see in 2024?

“Another trend that I think we will see in 2024 is the continued rise of the no and low alcohol market and those brands starting to put more thought into their packaging. As the market becomes busier, brands will need to use the bespoke packaging lessons we learnt in 2023 to stand out amongst the competition on the shelf. Well thought our decorated and bespoke bottles with sustainability at the heart of design will become core to what we see on shelf as no and low alcohol brands look to further align with consumer values.”

Are you looking to start your sustainable glass packaging journey? Get in contact with our team today.