Beverage Industry Reverts to Glass Packaging

As a material, glass has been used for thousands of years. Its benefits were recognized early on, be it in the form of beverage or storage receptacles or even as glass panes for the first windows installed in Roman villas. Glass is transparent, sturdy and tasteless, and when used as a receptacle can be hermetically sealed. This is why glass bottles are nowadays seen not only as a mark of quality, but they also play a key and much discussed role environmentally.

Contrary to what many people assume, glass is neither a crystal nor a solid but, in fact, a solidified liquid. The liquid cools so rapidly, that its structure corresponds to the liquid state leaving insufficient time for silicate (main constituent of glass) crystals to form.

Liquor Corked Square Glass Bottle

Industrial production makes glass an everyday object

We make everyday use of glass in the form of bottles. Industrial production of glass bottles was introduced at the beginning of the 19th century and has been continuously improved by the launch of new methods. The production of glass from a hot molten mass requires a great deal of energy, which is why the ongoing aim is to reduce energy inputs.

Despite intensive research into producing glass with a greater degree of energy efficiency, its future as a packaging material for liquids has seemed to be in decline for a long period. The entire beverage industry has opted to use new materials, whether it be aluminum in the form of cans, carton packaging for juices or easy-to-produce, lightweight PET bottles for mineral water, sweetened beverages and sodas. At 280 grams, a standard half-liter beer bottle made of glass weighs ten times as much as a PET bottle of the same size. This represents a considerable difference as far as transportation is concerned.

PET vs. glass

The weight advantage of PET and the lower energy consumption involved in the manufacturing of it have an impact on environmental life cycle assessments (LCA). Reusable systems can be set up for both materials (PET and glass), therefore enhancing environmental life cycle assessments considerably. Which LCA is better depends on the circumstances, return rates, transportation distances and producer-to-consumer-to-producer logistics applying to each production facility. Glass bottles, for example, can be refilled 50 times, while the refilling rate for PET bottles is only 20 to 25 cycles.

In 2016, reusable bottles only accounted for just over 40 percent of the beverage market. Ten years previously, two thirds of all beverages were sold in reusable packaging. This reduced rate caused the legislature to get involved, and has therefore demanded a new target rate of 70 percent in the new German Packaging Act (2019). Bottles on supermarket shelves must now be labeled, indicating whether they are reusable or single-use.

The debate about issues ranging from consumption of resources and use of raw materials to the littering of the world’s oceans has flared up at a broad societal level. This is more likely to cause consumers to change their thinking than statutory regulations.

Glass is currently undergoing a true renaissance in the beverage industry and all market players are increasingly focusing on it again. Reusable glass bottles are on the rise, especially in the mineral water segment. Reusable glass bottles now account for 13.9 percent of the €13 billion non-alcoholic beverage market, just under the figure for reusable plastic bottles.

Vodka Whisky Liquor Glass Bottle

Traditional beverage manufacturers are increasingly opting to use glass

As a result of the broad climate change debate, more and more beverage manufacturers are increasingly opting for glass again. In the last few months Coca Cola, numerous mineral water producers, and Austrian energy drink producer Red Bull have all launched new products in glass bottles. Likewise, these producers have specifically invested in glass bottling plants.

Glass packaging at 2022

Glass remains an important and sought-after material that the beverage industry can’t do without. Given that it can theoretically be 100 percent recycled, this makes the material doubly prized in this day and age.

Do you have an innovative solution for your product design in glass packaging and want to put it into production? Well, we will reply within an hour and inform you of professional advice. Shandong Jammine Package Co., Ltd. is a professional glass bottle manufacturer integrating  design(bottle, cap, logo), production, sales and service.  Contact us now!