Josh Brooks / PackagingNews.co.UK

Diageo unveils ‘sustainable and premium’ pack targets: with download

Drinks giant Diageo has published its first-ever ‘sustainable packaging’ guidelines with a pledge to take on the challenge that lighter packaging is perceived as being less valuable.

The guidelines outline a number of sustainability targets on areas such as reusability and recycled content for the business, which owns brands such as Guinness, Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker’s and Gordon’s.

However, they acknowledge that in Diageo’s market of drinks and spirits there are specific challenges around making packaging that is both optimised from a sustainability point of view and has a premium feel.

The document says: “Our vision is to have packaging that is both premium and sustainable but this is a challenge for our sector in general – especially with the perception among consumers that lighter means less valuable.

“The journey to create packaging that is sustainable and premium will require tenacity, innovation and education not just for us but also for our customers and consumers.”

The company said that it would consider “heavyweighting” some packs if it believed that it could help the likelihood of a pack being re-used. However, it said that “rightweighting”, rather than “lightweighting”, was the preferred option.

Targets in the guidlines include:

-To reduce the average unit weight of product packaging by 10% by 2015

-Ensure that 100% of packaging designs are reusable, recyclable or suitable for waste management systems in individual countries by 2015

-Increase by 20%, to more than 40%, the proportion of recycled content used in packaging materials by 2015.

In a statement on the publication of the guidelines, Commenting on the publication of the guidelines, Diageo chief marketing officer Andy Fennell said: “Packaging is vital in delivering and protecting our valuable brands – and increasingly customers and consumers are demanding more sustainable packs from all leading consumer goods companies.

“These new guidelines will be adopted throughout our business to ensure we drive year on year improvements. ”

David Gosnell, the group’s president of global supply & procurement, said: “This is an important milestone that will ensure a consistent approach to developing new packaging and reviewing existing packs.

“The guidelines will not only help us meet our stretching sustainable packaging targets for 2015 but also support our engagement with customers and consumers – and further embed our position as corporate leaders in environmental sustainability.”