Rethinking Glass: Why Lightweight Packaging Is the Future of Food and Drink 

Today’s food and drinks sector faces a growing pressure from both consumers and regulations to refine its packaging and shift to a more sustainable approach. With consumers demanding transparency, and accountability, the sustainability efforts of a brand’s packaging has evolved into an extension of brand values.  

However, striking the right balance is no easy task. For food and drink brands, packaging must do far more than simply contain the product. It must preserve the quality of the product, uphold high standards of hygiene, and stand out on the shelf. All of this must be achieved while meeting growing sustainability targets. It’s a multifaceted challenge that calls for innovative, forward-thinking packaging that is as refined as it is responsible. 

The Packaging Challenge in Food and Drink

Today food and drinks brands need to create packaging that truly delivers. Consumers are increasingly seeking sustainable change from brands, with no compromises on a premium experience. Aligning with audience demands for sustainability can enhance brand perception, with consumers favouring and trusting brands that are driving real positive change – as 92% of consumers expressed the importance of a brand’s sustainability in their purchase decisions. 

Visual appeal remains a powerful influence on purchasing behaviour, with 81% of consumers drawn to packaging that captivates the eye. Exceptional design has the ability to transform a product into an object of desire – positioning food and drink as sophisticated gifts. 

However, with EPR regulations, brands are under increasing pressure to ensure their packaging is not only compliant, but also consciously designed with responsibility and sustainability at its core. 

The challenge lies not only in championing sustainability and curating a premium aesthetic, but also in navigating the practical demands of a business. Packaging choices must consider cost-efficiency, logistical ease, and transportability. Striking the perfect balance, brands must deliver packaging that is visually sophisticated and environmentally conscious, while being thorough in its ability to protect and preserve the integrity of the product within.  

Why Consumers Are Turning to Glass

When it comes to the food and drinks sector, glass provides unrivalled advantages for packaging. Glass has proved superior for preserving product quality.  Being fully impermeable means there is no risk of chemical impurity leaching into products, and consumers are able to enjoy the product as producers intended.  

Glass offers exceptional durability and longevity, ensuring products are protected throughout. Its robust structure reduces the risk of breakage during handling and transportation, providing both peace of mind and operational efficiency for brands. 

Beyond strength, glass is inherently sustainable. Its durability allows for repeated reuse without compromising quality, making it a truly circular material. Infinitely recyclable, glass retains its integrity no matter how many lives it lives, making it a responsible packaging choice. Its sustainable properties are further enhanced when combined with the innovation of both lightweighting and utilising post-consumer recycled glass to limit the environmental impact of glass packaging in both production and transit. 

 

A Pioneer in Lightweight Packaging

As pioneers in the packaging industry, Verallia is committed to shaping a more sustainable future. We deliver forward-thinking solutions that make responsible packaging both accessible and effortless for brands who share our vision for lasting, positive change. 

Our latest cutting-edge developments have positioned us as leaders of sustainable glass engineering. Verallia’s skilled team of engineers have created our lightest glass packaging yet, designed to be the ultimate lightweight solution for brands seeking to implement responsible solutions. 

Introducing: MyAir.  

At just 105g, MyAir delivers refined elegance with powerful sustainability. A testament of design and efficiency, it empowers soft drinks brands to make a bold impression with minimal impact. Get the most with the least. 

Recycled Glass: A Refined Step Towards Sustainability

In addition to lightweighting, incorporating recycled glass is a powerful way for brands to elevate their sustainability credentials. 

Choosing recycled glass for food and drink packaging offers a variety of environmental benefits: 

• Reduces the use of virgin raw materials 

• Lowers energy consumption during production 

• Maintains impeccable product quality 

• Minimises landfill waste 

At Verallia, we are committed to advancing the circular economy through the expert use of cullet, recycled glass, reintroduced into production. Between 2020 and 2021, we increased the volume of external cullet in our glass manufacturing by 11%, successfully avoiding over 81,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions. 

With 19 dedicated cullet treatment centres worldwide, Verallia prioritises delivering premium packaging solutions, that embody both sustainability and sophistication. 

Lighter Glass, Lasting Impressions

As previously discussed, the aesthetics of your packaging has a heavy influence on consumer purchase choices. Our experts offer sustainable decoration techniques, sure to set your glass packaging apart. 

This includes UV screen printing, adding vibrancy and brilliance to your sustainable glass bottle. UV inks are widely recognised as a more sustainable alternative to traditional solvent-based inks, as they emit no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) during the curing process. 

We are proud to be innovators in lightweight packaging. Discover how we can take your brand’s sustainability to a new level, by discussing the possibilities with our team today.