In what appears to be the largest pilot consumer trial ever done by Carslberg, over 8,000 Fibre Bottles have been sent out for sampling by consumers in 8 western European markets of UK, France, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Poland.
In the sampling, the new Fibre Bottle, a bio-based and fully recyclable beer bottle, also contains beer brewed with organic and regenerative barley. This pilot is vital to accelerating Carlsberg’s ambition of making this beer bottle a commercial reality. Distributed at various events and festivals, Carlsberg hopes to gather feedback from consumers on the product experience.
A significant milestone for the Fibre Bottle is its plant-based PEF polymer lining, which has been developed by Carlsberg’s partner Avantium, a leading expert in renewable chemistry. PEF is made entirely from natural raw materials, is compatible with plastic recycling systems, and can degrade into nature should it end up outside national recycling systems. Beyond its sustainable packaging benefits, PEF functions as a highly effective barrier between the beer and the fibre outer shell, protecting the taste and fizziness of the beer better than conventional fossil-fuel-based PET plastic.
Meanwhile, the outer shell of the bottle, produced by the packaging company Paboco, comprises of sustainably-sourced wood fibre and is also bio-based. This shell has the added benefit of insulative properties which can help keep beer colder for longer, compared to cans or glass bottles.
Stephane Munch, VP Group Development at Carlsberg said, “We are delighted to bring our new Fibre Bottle into the hands of consumers, allowing them to experience it for themselves. This pilot will serve a greater purpose in testing the production, performance and recycling of this product at scale.”
The bottle is 100% bio-based apart from the cap, which is currently needed to ensure the quality of the product, and together the bottle and cap are fully recyclable. Going forward, Paboco, Carlsberg and partners in the wider Paper Bottle Community are exploring alternative fibre-based bottle caps, with a generic solution expected in 2023. Carlsberg will continue development, together with Avantium and Paboco, to arrive at a tailored 3.0 solution that is equally suitable for primary beer packaging, using this year’s consumer feedback and Paboco’s developments.
Carlsberg is aiming for the Fibre Bottle to achieve the same low carbon footprint as the refillable glass bottle, which is currently the best- performing primary packaging when collected and reused in efficient systems. When the Fibre Bottle is commercialised at scale, it will expand Carlsberg consumers’ choice and complement, rather than replace, existing packaging like glass bottles and cans.
