Britvic commit to green packaging pledge

The company aim to develop new technology and strategies that will further cut the amount of materials needed in its packaging as part of WRAP's Courtauld commitment. The agreement comes as governments and environmental organisations maintain pressure on food and beverage groups to cut down on waste created from packaging of its products and the burden it is having on the environment. The Courtauld commitment, which began in 2005, has been a response to this pressure by engaging a number of the major players within the industry to help meet three key aims for reducing packaging waste. According to WRAP these aims are to design out packaging waste by 2008, with "absolute"​ reductions then expected by 2010. It also requires companies to identify adoptable measures in how to tackle the issue of food waste. Wrap is a government-backed programme charged with ensuring that the UK meets EU requirements on reducing waste throughout the bloc. Britvic's cheif executive Paul Moody said the decision to join the scheme was in response to growing concerns from customers for a greater green focus on how it conducts its operations. "WRAP's objectives clearly align with Britvic's packaging innovation strategy,"​ he stated. "Consumers are looking for more and more ways to reduce waste to landfill and this is an important issue for us as manufacturers - allowing us to make a difference."​ The company stressed that it was already working towards waste reduction, claiming that all its packaging was fully recyclable. In terms of improving its focus, it pointed in particular to its J2O juice brand as an example of its packaging commitments under the new strategy. The company claim to have already reduced the level of glass used to package the product by 11.5 per cent, and expects that further research will allow for greater cuts in the packaging material it needs.