Guinness removes plastic from multipack

The British Diageo beverages company wants to sell its Irish beer brand Guinness without plastic packaging in future.

Shrink-wrap film and plastic ring carriers for multipack cans of the Guinness brand will soon be a thing of the past. This was announced by the London-based Guinness parent company Diageo. It is investing 16 million pounds sterling in reducing the amount of plastic packaging in order to introduce recyclable alternatives. In future, cardboard packaging that is sustainable and biodegradable will hold cans together during transport. The new beer packaging is to be introduced first in Ireland, where it will be in the shops as of August 2019. A year later, also it is to be available on the British and international markets as well.

According to the manufacturer, the individual cans, including the widget in the can, are fully recyclable. The famous Guinness widget is based on a plastic capsule containing nitrogen gas. When the can is opened, it is released and rising gas bubbles are created. When the drink is poured into the glass, these gas bubbles sink downwards, creating the “surge effect” with its white foam crown. “An imitation of the draught experience from the pub in the can – the perfect taste experience for enjoyment at home,” explains the manufacturer.