Diageo to launch Johnnie Walker in 100% plastic-free, paper-based bottle

Diageo, makers of Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff, and Guinness, has created a 100% plastic-free and paper-based spirits bottle, made entirely from sustainably sourced wood. The bottle will debut with Johnnie Walker in early 2021.

The announcement comes as Diageo unveils a new partnership with Pilot Lite, a venture management company, to launch Pulpex Ltd., a new sustainable packaging technology company. To ensure that the technology can be used in every area of life, Pulpex Ltd. has established a partner consortium of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies in non-competing categories, including Unilever and PepsiCo, with further partners expected to be announced later in the year. The consortium partners are each expecting to launch their own branded paper bottles, based on Pulpex Ltd.’s design and technology, in 2021.

Pulpex Ltd. has developed a scalable paper-based bottle designed and developed to be 100% plastic-free and expected to be fully recyclable. The bottle is made from sustainably sourced pulp to meet food-safe standards and will be fully recyclable in standard waste streams.

Pulpex Ltd.’s technology allows it to produce a variety of plastic-free, single mold bottles that can be used across a range of consumer goods. The packaging has been designed to contain a variety of liquid products. It will form part of Diageo’s commitment toward Goal 12 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: “Responsible Consumption and Production.”

“Innovative solutions and partnerships are critical to driving meaningful progress toward a circular economy,” said Simon Lowden, chief sustainability officer, PepsiCo, in a press release. “The Pulpex consortium is well-positioned to deliver sustainable packaging at scale and across industries, having impact beyond what any organization could achieve alone. We’re proud to be a part of it.”