Australian brewing firm Carlton & United Breweries (CUB) has replaced plastic six-pack rings on cans with cardboard packaging, as part of its sustainable efforts.
Image: Carlton & United Breweries has replaced plastic six-pack rings with cardboard packaging. Photo: courtesy of CUB.
Carlton & United Breweries, part of AB InBev, has decided to use cardboard packaging for its beers such as VB and Carlton Draught.
The brewery’s move will help avoid more than 25 million six-pack rings entering the environment each year.
CUB’s Abbotsford brewery will implement the latest initiative, which is part of the firm’s environmental commitments.
CUB CEO Peter Filipovic said: “Beer lovers can now enjoy their favourite beers from the can without worrying about their damaging effect on the environment.
“We’ve sourced and tested the new packaging, installed the new equipment, and now the new packaging is running off the canning line at Abbotsford.”
CUB said that the new packaging will be available to the customers in the coming weeks and it may take few months to clear old stock across the country.
In 2018, CUB also eliminated the use of plastic six-pack rings for its cans at the Cascade Brewery in Tasmania.
CUB is also planning to replace plain shrink on slabs of cans with new cardboard packaging in the next few weeks, enabling to save 137 tons of plain shrink wrap per year.
Filipovic further added: “Last year we made a commitment that 100% of our products will be in packaging that is returnable or made from majority-recycled content by 2025. The decision to stop using plastic six-pack rings is a major step towards achieving that.”
In October 2018, CUB announced new packaging for Carlton Dry stubbies, which is fitted with easy-to-use ring pull caps rather than twist tops.
CUB produces various beers such as Victoria Bitter, Carlton Draught, Great Northern, Pure Blonde, Carlton Dry, Melbourne Bitter, Crown Lager, Cascade Premium Light and the Yak Ales.
The brewery’s brands comprise of Corona, Budweiser, Stella Artois, Beck’s, Hoegaarden and Leffe, as well as 4 Pines and Pirate Life. CUB employs around 1,600 people at its five breweries and various offices in Australia.