Paul Greenwood Norwyn Ltd
Brands can make any number of packaging choices to reflect their identity, from the design of the label to the shape of the container. The material chosen for the packaging itself is increasingly in the spotlight as sustainability goes beyond just where the empty package is put after use to how it was sourced in the first place.
Glass has long been welcomed as a sustainable choice for packaging, even before sustainability was the hot topic that it is now. The European glass packaging market was valued at USD 19.7 in 2022 and is well on the way to reaching its predicted 6.7% CAGR to USD 26.4 by 2028. Known as ‘the original sustainable packaging’, there is an excellent potential for glass packaging producers to support their brand customers in conveying that message to consumers.
Reliable, open and honest advice from a packaging supplier can be hard to find, depending on what packaging they produce, so when there’s a long-established supplier that offers a range of packaging options, it’s helpful for brands that are not sure what best suits their products. For example, artisan beer brands may need a supplier of brown glass bottles, whereas a chemical company’s portfolio may be better suited to PET containers.
Angela Thijssen, Sustainability Manager at Pont, explains how she regularly speaks with customers and the Pont sales team to advise on the sustainability aspects of different packaging options. She says, “I love that glass packaging is welcomed by consumers, so we take great care to make sure that positivity is maximised. Glass is already the most recycled material in the UK, with excellent recycling schemes already, but at Pont we like to take that further and encourage reducing and reusing as well as recycling. We have to look at the complete life cycle of packaging to get the full picture; there’s no point just focusing on what suits us already. That’s why we offer a full range of packaging materials and can advise on the environmental performance of each option.”
Amber glass - strong and sustainable
With glass infinitely recyclable with no loss of quality or performance, its role in the packaging industry is strong, with varieties available to suit many applications, including dairy, personal care and beverages. Amber glass is glass with natural iron oxide and sodium sulphate added, giving it a beautiful golden colour as well as powerful UV protection for the product within, and this glass variation is increasingly popular.
Thijssen continues, “Amber glass gives an extra edge to the already positive appeal of glass packaging as it looks lovely and gives a longer shelf life to the sauces, beverages or personal care products inside. We find that amber glass is an ideal choice for small to medium brands in the artisan beer market, for luxury face creams, non-alcoholic drinks and aromatherapy oils. There’s a mark of intent when brands choose amber glass as it shows that they take sustainability seriously, while also valuing the beauty and reusability of the packaging.”
This wide range of products suited to amber glass packaging reflects the benefits of this traditional material. As well as the UV protection offered, amber glass is also inert, so it does not affect the product at all, making it also suited to chemical and medical applications. The luxuriousness of amber glass is an interesting value too, given that it presents as a somewhat ‘alternative’ material.
Thijssen explains, “That’s what is so amazing about amber glass; somehow it manages to be whatever the brand needs it to be. It is sustainable, traditional, modern and beautiful all at the same time. So, for a brand that wants to focus on its environmental credentials, amber glass is ideal. But, on the other hand, for a small batch kombucha brand that wants to promote its individuality, amber glass is also the perfect packaging choice. Glass is flexible packaging!”