Heineken UK, the nation’s leading pub, cider and beer company, has announced to delist PET bottles, thus saving almost 6 billion plastic containers and 170 tonnes of plastic per year. The company has also delisted all third-party products in PET plastic containers from its e-commerce website.
The company argued that especially the young generation is very conscious of their environmental impact and the negative image of plastic products does not correspond with a modern brand like Heineken.
According to Heineken, a survey showed that 79% of Gen Z (that refers to the generation that was born between 1997-2012) have stated to change their purchasing habits based on sustainability. Heineken UK believes “that it is now more important than ever for businesses to effect positive change for the planet and provide customers with opportunities to ‘do the right thing’.”
The recent announcement is one step further towards Heineken’s goal to become a “plastic-free company”. In August 2020 Heineken UK said to replace plastic rings on multi-pack cans by a “100% plastic-free cardboard topper”. (inside.beer, 17.8.2020)
According to the announcement “over the last 10 years, Heineken has laid a solid foundation with its sustainability strategy, Brew a Better World, which focuses on the environment, social sustainability, and responsible consumption.”