Co-op to cut weight of light-weight bottles

The Co-operative supermarket has chosen lighter-weight bottles for its own-brand ales, and hopes to save more than 130 tonnes of glass and 90 tonnes of carbon emissions a year. O-I is manufacturing the new 500ml bottles that, at 300g, are 22% lighter than the previous version. The bottles will also carry new labels as part of the relaunch that will be complete by the end of September.

The retailer´s own-label ales include Fairtrade Bumble Bee Honey Ale, Organic Fairtrade Premium Ale and Goldminer Ale produced by the Freeminer microbrewery in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire.

The Co-operative´s range also includes an Extra Strong Ale produced by Daniel Thwaites of Blackburn, which will be available in the lighter bottle in the near future. The lightweighting initiative follows the publication of the retailer´s Food Ethical Policy earlier this year, based on the world´s largest consumer poll on ethics.

The move was prompted by a poll which said that more than 100,000 Co-operative members and customers stating action to safeguard the environment was one of their top priorities and 97% endorsed the retailer´s aim to reduce waste and increase recycling.