From this month, all new gift packs in Bacardi’s portfolio will be 100 per cent plastic-free, in a shift that will see the company remove almost 275 tonnes of single-use plastic used annually.
The development has been achieved through innovative new designs that remove plastic or replace it with sustainably-sourced alternatives.
As well as using cardboard certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Bacardi is also the first spirits company to use a new bio-based, 100 per cent compostable packaging material made from potato starch and cellulose fibers, which replaces its plastic vacuum packaging.
“We are committed to being 100 per cent plastic free by 2030, and the removal of plastic from our gift packs is a major milestone on that journey,” said Rodolfo Nervi, vice-president of Global Safety, Quality and Sustainability at Bacardi.
“For more than 160 years, we have pioneered as a company, and our drive to remove plastic is no exception. We will continue to innovate and explore new sustainable alternative materials to plastic, because it is the right thing to do.”
As part of its ESG program, Good Spirited, and in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Bacardi has set a number of goals, which it is committed to achieving by 2025.
These goals, which are in addition to the company’s commitment to remove all plastic point-of-sales materials by 2023 and to be 100 per cent plastic-free by 2030, include:
- 50% cut in greenhouse gas emissions;
- 25% cut in water consumption;
- 100% key raw materials and packaging sourced sustainably;
- 100% of product packaging to be recyclable;
- 40% recycled content of product packaging materials; and
- Zero waste to landfill at all production sites.
The new 100 per cent plastic-free gift packs are available in select markets globally throughout the holiday season.
